


The Morning After

by paperwalls



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Genre: Blood, Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hairdick, Oral Sex, POV Alternating, POV First Person, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Assault, Rimming, Rough Sex, Shower Sex, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, mentions of rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2019-08-26 03:17:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 132,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16673689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperwalls/pseuds/paperwalls
Summary: Barrie is a woman in her early 30’s living and working as a Grey in Outpost 3, an underground bunker somewhere in the desolate landscape of post-Apocalypse California. Life for the residents has become tedious and desperate in the eighteen months since the bombs fell. Food and supplies are dwindling and the residents are tense from fear and boredom. One day, a mysterious man named Michael Langdon arrives at the Outpost, claiming to be a representative from the equally mysterious Cooperative, offering the residents a chance for a transfer to “The Sanctuary”, a place promised to have enough supplies to last for a decade.Langdon interviews each resident and worker one by one. On his first day, Barrie has her interview with him and feels strangely attracted to him in more ways than one. To her surprise, the feelings are mutual on his end. But something isn’t right with Michael Langdon, and she can’t quite figure it out...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my first ever fanfic!
> 
> I started working on this story about three weeks ago sometime when Episode 7 of Apocalypse aired. It originally began as this first chapter - a simple one-shot of mostly smut, but some plot, in order to get some uh... tension I was feeling out. Slowly I began weaving it into actual story.
> 
> Knowing what we know now at how the season has ended, I had already decided on how I would end this and can promise you now, I will be working on a redemption arc of some kind for Michael’s character. I do want to keep up with the theme of “no happy endings” in AHS so I can’t guarantee it’ll be happy ever after for these two, but who knows!
> 
> One thing that annoyed me was I am basically starting from scratch here, as the story was written on the Notes app on my phone and yesterday all the text was accidentally wiped out except for this first chapter (which I ended up tweaking).
> 
> So, enjoy this mostly smutty chapter ;) I promise an actual plot will be forthcoming.
> 
> The story begins after the events of The End and the first two scenes of The Morning After. I will be making references to both of those episodes and scenes (and other parts from the Apocalypse flashback episodes) as the story goes on, don’t worry! 
> 
> The story title is also tentative. Subject to change.

”Barrie Cohen? You may come in.”

I heard Langdon’s sultry voice call my name as I stood and walked into his office. I approached the desk as he was sitting behind it, his left elbow resting on the table and the back of his hand holding up his chin. Slowly, I sat down in the chair facing the desk. 

Earlier in the library, I hadn’t really spent time studying him as his overall demeanor initially intimidated me. Something about him seemed menacing and just... off. I couldn’t quite figure it out but he most certainly had given me the creeps.

There was something about him though. As he had exited the room with a confident swagger after his last words “I look forward to meeting each and every one of you”, echoed to us, his eyes had darted over to me at my posting by the door that he had entered through. I felt frozen as they met mine. The feeling that overcame me was indescribable. He had laser-focused on me for a good minute or so before making his exit, and I briefly felt like I was out of breath. At the time, I hadn’t quite understood why.

To my knowledge, I was only one of a small handful of people from Outpost 3 that he had called in for interviews since he had arrived after our early evening dinner. I also wasn’t sure why - I was a Grey, one of the two designated color-coded classes assigned in this bunker by the administrator, Ms. Wilhelmina Venable. “Greys” were servants; our jobs were to prepare and serve meals and drinks, clean, and do basic chores. Naturally, our uniforms were a lighter grey color. The higher class were the “Purples”, rich people from the previous world who had basically paid their way into the compound after the nuclear bombs fell. Ms. Venable was in charge and the Purples all wore outfits reminiscent of the Victorian era; all of the regular clothes we had brought with us sat unused in our closets. 

One of the Purples, a tall hairdresser with bleached blonde hair whom we all only knew as Mr. Gallant, had volunteered to go first for interviews during Langdon’s introductory meeting to us. Because of this, I had sort of assumed he would continue the pattern of interviewing all the Purples first. So, I was fairly surprised later in the evening when Ms. Venable’s right hand partner, a short, portly woman named Miriam Mead, had come into the kitchen and stated that Langdon had specifically requested me to come to the conference room on the second floor that he had chosen to be his designated office during the time he would be staying in the Outpost. 

Sitting in front of him now, I struggled to make eye contact with him across the desk. I felt like he took notice of this, as he instead looked down and began fumbling with a Manila folder in front of him as I noticed my name printed on the tab sticking out. He opened the folder and skimmed the contents inside for a few minutes while I sat there finally allowing myself to take a real look at him. I had been too startled earlier to do so, and until I saw him staring at me, I was feeling somewhat anxious by his presence.

Sitting down, he looked slightly less intimidating as he had in the library where I felt like he towered over me. His long hair went down past his shoulders - it was so dark inside the Outpost with just candlelight, I couldn’t tell if the color was darker shade of blonde or a very light brown. It looked extremely smooth, soft and well kept for someone who had just traveled from who knows where, for who knows how long, in a radiation suit amongst the rubble and radiation outside. His overall outward appearance reminded me of Lestat from _Interview_ _With The Vampire_. He came in the library earlier wearing a black cloak, which was now draped behind his chair. His black velvet jacket and black dress pants were smooth fabric. Thick jeweled rings adorned several of his fingers, including his right pinky. I admitted to myself that his facial features were indeed quite striking the closer I examined him - a sharp jawline, smooth skin, red eyeshadow applied to the ends of both eyes meeting the bridge of his nose, and when he turned and looked at me, even in the dark hue of the room I could now see his eyes were a piercing and gorgeous shade of blue. Eyes that had earlier stared me down like daggers. As he sat back in his chair and placed his hands on the desk, his gaze met mine and we finally managed to make eye contact. It was becoming harder to not to find him intensely attractive and alluring.

His _eyes_.

It was then I realized how stunning they actually were. It felt as if his gaze had hypnotized me earlier and now was no different.

This man was intimidating. Frightening. And in those moments, I finally realized that he was also probably the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Physical attributes aside, I found him fascinating. I felt some kind of magnetic pull to him that I couldn’t explain. A pit in my stomach. 

My intimidation levels were now shot up even higher than they had previously been. I broke my gaze off him and looked down at my lap, twiddling with my thumbs. If this had been pre-apocalypse and I was sitting in my psychiatrist’s office, I would have had my phone in my hand and at least had something to keep them occupied. My ADHD often made me feel fidgety when I had to sit in one place for too long and I always needed something to do with my hands.

“You seem a bit nervous, Miss Cohen,” I heard him say in a soft, low voice and looked up to see he had broken the silence between us. “There’s no need. I realize a lot is at stake, but just be as honest as you can.”

“Am I that obvious?” I managed to squeak out.

“I’m fairly good at reading people, if I do say so myself,” he replied, sitting forward.

“I’m curious. Your name. It’s... unusual.” He continued.

“Blame that on my mother. She apparently met a woman with the name before I was born, and thought it was ‘unique’. I’ve been stuck with it since.” I paused, then spoke again. “Actually, you can just call me Barrie. No need for ‘Miss’ anything.”

Langdon placed his palm under his chin and stroked it. “I like it,” he said softly. “It suits you.”

His voice in the library had been booming and demanding of attention. Here in a one on one setting, it was calmer and much more soothing. It was... I dared to say... _very_ sexy. 

“Since you’ve chosen to be on a first name basis with me,” he continued, “you may call me Michael if you wish for the duration of our time here.” 

“Michael?” I asked curiously.

“Yes. That’s my full name. Michael Langdon. But, keep that strictly between us. If we see each other at any other point during my stay, you will address me in front of others as Mr. Langdon or just Langdon. Got it?” 

“Yes, sir... Michael.”

Michael Langdon. Even his name rolled off the tongue beautifully.

“So, honest as possible?” I said, repeating his words. I was in awe of him and didn’t know how I could finish this interview.

“If you lie, I will know. If you hedge, I will know. And if you try to trick me, I will know, and this interview will be over and you will die here. Painfully. Are we clear?” He said matter of factly.

I gulped and nodded.

“Now. What is your sexual orientation?” 

“Uh, that’s straight forward. I... it’s hard to say,” I responded. “I consider myself, well, I’m pansexual. I also consider myself demisexual. That means I’m attracted to a person and not a particular gender and uh, I don’t usually feel sexual attraction to anyone unless I feel a connection with them.”

“I do know what those words mean, yes,” he replied, not breaking his icy gaze.

“I’m assuming this is for procreation reasons?” I asked, not sure why else it could be relevant.

“We have techniques for harvesting genetic material. We still need a woman’s womb to incubate the fetus, for now. But I’m not here specifically to look for potential candidates for childbirth.”

“Soooo,” I said, confused now. “Then you wanted to know that... why?”

“It didn’t say so in your file,” Michael said, rising from his chair and circling around the desk. He seated himself on the edge of it and crossed one leg over the other. “Maybe I’m just fishing, or maybe I’m just curious about information that I might find useful. I must admit, I have somewhat of a... _selfish_ reason for asking. For you, at least.”

“Selfish reason?” I had no idea what the hell this dude was going on about now. 

To my surprise, he reached his hand forward suddenly and brushed the hair of my bangs out of my eyes. “Your eyes,” he said. “What color are they? Green? Brown?”

“Hazel,” I replied. “Is there a specific reason you’re asking?”

“Not particularly. They’re... magnificent. Really quite pretty.”  

I felt my face flush. “Th-thank you,” I stammered. 

I wanted to respond with _and so are yours, sir_ , but kept it to myself.

He stood there gazing down at me, and we were silent for what seemed like far too long.

“I saw them in the library,” Michael spoke finally, breaking the tension. “I couldn’t help but notice they were fixated on me the entire time and I most certainly noticed you watching me as I left the room. And throughout this short time we’ve been speaking, I can’t help but notice how you have trouble making eye contact. When I do, you look away.”

I sat there with my palms sweating.

“You’re... observant,” I murmured. “So are you giving all your interviews random compliments, or am I just special?”

“You’re feisty. And witty. I like that about you.” He responded with a slight pep in his voice now.

Michael leaned forward and slid off the desk, standing over me directly. He reached his hand out and I felt the cold metal of one of his rings against my skin as I realized he was grazing the back of his index finger along the edge of my left ear. His fingertip slid from my ear down to my chin, and used it to lift my head up and meet his gaze. 

 _My_ eyes? How about _his_ eyes? They were incredible and I felt like I could drown in their pale blue hues.

“Do you find me physically attractive, Barrie?” He asked suddenly. 

I gulped and felt beads of sweat dripping down my forehead. I said nothing. 

Michael smirked. “I’ll take your silence as a 'yes', then.”

I nodded.

“Uh, wh-what makes you ask th-that?” I stuttered. 

He bent down to meet me at my level. “I’m sensing you want to say more, but you’re holding back,” he said softly. “No secrets. Tell me. I’m not here to judge. It was a small observation based on how you’re having trouble making eye contact, but I know you keep staring at me. So, if you want to admit something to me, you’re free to if you wish.”

“You,” I said, trying hard not to stutter again. I took a deep breath. “You’re _so_ beautiful. I can’t stand looking at you. You’re probably the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. You look like you’ve stepped out of a painting.”

“Well, thank you, my dear,” he said, shooting me a half smile. “And I must say, the feeling is mutual.” 

“I doubt that,” I said. “I’m nothing. A man like you could have anyone you want.”

Michael took my hand and held it in his. With his free hand, he raised it and put it to my cheek, gently stroking the backs of his fingers against it.

“How could you possibly know what I want?” he asked.

“I... well, I suppose I can’t.” I was nearly out of breath now. 

“I’m sensing something about you,” Michael said as his studied my hand. “You seem to have some insecurities. You seem to have trouble with the idea of someone flirting with you or showing you affection.” He raised my hand to his lips and began placing light kisses on the backs of my knuckles. “You want it. You crave it... but it also frightens you. You said you’re ‘nothing’. I haven’t known you that long, but even in this short time we’ve spent together, I can tell you that is the furthest thing from the truth.” 

The feeling of his lips against my skin drove my insides into a raging mess.

“Did you just admit you’re flirting with me?” I asked, not knowing how else to respond. I knew the answer, but I was often oblivious to things like that and I also couldn’t tell if he had another angle. 

“I think you should trust me,” he said, still holding my hand but suddenly leaning his face forward, and placed a wet, open-mouthed kiss on my cheek. I wanted to continue to savor the feeling of his lips on my skin. 

“You don’t know me,” I said abruptly, noticing his mouth was lingering against my cheek still.

“That’s true”, he said, pulling his face away momentarily. “But based on what I’ve seen so far, I would like to continue getting to know you better. I can tell you want to know more about me”.

“Like what?” I asked curiously, as Michael leaned in towards my face once again.

“Do you find me... desirable?” He whispered in my ear. My legs clenched. I _definitely_ didn’t trust him, but his pull was also unexplainable. 

“Shall I go on?”, he whispered. 

“Uh, well, I mean...” I stammered heavily now. “If it’s what you need for this interview...”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “I’m guessing  that you’re not particularly interested in the interview right now and would prefer if we continued down this road, if you don’t mind the detour. I think you would much rather I do _this_ instead... as long as you find it acceptable”.

The long haired man closed his eyes and leaned in, and my entire body shot up with a feeling of electricity as he brushed his lips against my neck and began slowly kissing down. He moved the neck of my hideous Grey dress down and kissed my collarbone before letting it fling back up.  

“Wh-what are you doing now?” So much for not stuttering.

Michael looked at me intensely. “Proving a point”, he replied. “I find it interesting that you question my intentions. I know you not only want this, but you enjoy it”. He reached over and kissed the opposite side of my neck. 

I wanted to reach out and touch his lips but, despite that he was already doing that against my skin, I didn’t feel brave enough. 

“You can do whatever you want to me”, he whispered in my ear, almost as if he knew what I was thinking. “I thought I was making myself obvious, but I see I might have to be more specific. But, allow me to ask first. What would you like me to do?” He pulled his face back and made eye contact with me once again.

I took a deep breath. “Kiss me”, I whispered back to him. 

He smirked. “I have been”, he said smugly. “Should I continue? I’m enjoying this spot on your neck”. He paused and ran his fingertip along the left side of my neck directly underneath my ear. “But, I think you’re referring to somewhere else, aren’t you?”

I nodded in agreement.

He leaned his face in slowly and locked his eyes on mine, hovering his lips and nose close. 

 _Fuck_ , _even_ _his_ _lips_ _are_ _gorgeous_ , I thought to myself, staring intensely at his mouth. 

“Don’t be afraid,” he said quietly. “It’s okay to give in.” He took his fingertip that had previously been running under my ear and brought it to my lips, tracing over them. “May I?” he asked. 

I barely had time to think before I leaned my face forward and allowed Michael to finally press his lips to mine. His lips were far softer than I imagined they would be. I kissed him back, gently at first, and it wasn’t long before his tongue grazed my mouth and I opened it, allowing him to slip it in slowly. My own tongue flicked against his, and I could already feel my upper body heating up. 

Without even thinking, I reached my hands up and placed them on the back of his head, running my palm down the back of his neck. He reached up and undid the awful bun in my hair that all the women Grey’s were made to wear. My brown hair had grown somewhat and spilled down to my shoulders. (I had asked Mr. Gallant for a trim and he refused).

He ran his fingers through my hair as he continued to kiss me before moving his mouth away and lightly sucking on my neck. I began to feel a pit in my lower abdomen and felt my thighs start to clench... usually the first sign that I was becoming aroused. Michael noticed this; I let out a small moan as he dragged his tongue along the spot directly underneath my earlobe.

Not wanting to be selfish, I softly kissed along his jawline and chin before reaching his own neck. This was the first time I heard him humming against my skin.

I then felt his hand brush against my chest and startled, I pulled away from him suddenly.

“Oh,” he said in response. “Did I... did I move too fast?” 

I paused, despite knowing full well what my answer was. “No. Keep going... please.”

“If I’m being honest with you,” he said, caressing my hands in his. “I wasn’t quite sure how far you wanted to take this, but I see clearly now that you’re excited by it.” 

“I might be...” I responded, managing to shoot him a grin.

Michael looked at me and his hand pushed up against my chest, squeezing one of my breasts. I could feel goosebumps forming on my arms and neck as he fondled them through my uniform. 

I took his free hand  and held it for a second before deciding on what to do; I guided it to my lap and slid it underneath the skirt of my dress. Michael took the hint and his fingertips brushed up towards my inner thighs with featherlight touches, while he continued to kiss and nibble on my neck and earlobes. 

“What point are you proving?” I asked suddenly, realizing just how aroused I was getting. 

He pulled away from my neck just a bit, and I heard him whisper in my ear. “That I don’t want anyone but _you_ ”. His long hair fell across his face as he pulled away and his fingers danced up my thigh. “And I think you also want me”. 

I gulped. “I - I do”, I said finally. “Though, where could we? In here?” 

Michael tilted his head and nodded over by the fireplace in the corner of the room. I turned to look and saw two leather arm chairs and a loveseat placed beside it. 

“Darling”, he said to me, the word cutting through me like a knife as he released his hand from my legs, “I’m afraid we can’t do anything...”

I pouted.

“Until we get you out of these dull grey rags. Take off your dress”. 

I didn’t even have a chance to make a move, as Michael stood up and extended his hand, pulling me up with him. His other hand snaked around my back and slowly pulled down the zipper of my dress. He leaned down and placed soft kisses on my shoulder as he slid my arms out, allowing the dress to drop to the floor.

“You don’t want to see me”, I said quietly, as I stood before him in my bra and panties, ones from home I had brought with me and wore every day, due to fact that the ones provided by the Outpost were more than uncomfortable. They weren’t exactly sexy or enticing, merely plain cotton fabric. I certainly wanted him to touch me, but hadn’t expected to get my clothes off that fast, if I was going to at all.

Michael scanned my body up and down. I felt the urge to cover myself up. 

“Oh, but I do”, he replied, moving toward me. “I want to see all of you. I’m sure the rest of you is just as beautiful as what I am already looking at”. 

I felt myself blushing again.

“Do I at least get to take your clothes off too?” I asked, as I impulsively reached out and helped him out of his jacket.

“But of course”, he responded, removing his vest as I unbuttoned his dress shirt for him and slipped it off of his body. He stood shirtless in front of me, revealing a thin but lean physique and smooth, pale skin with a small smattering of freckles across his chest. I couldn’t help but run my palm over it, and impulsively leaned forward and placed a light kiss on his sternum, the latter which caused his upper half to squirm a bit as he let out a pleasurable sounding moan.

I was insecure about my body. I struggled with weight loss and gain, and standing there in my underwear I felt vulnerable. Regardless, Michael ran both of his hands down my sides and dipped his head down to kiss my cleavage, his lips caressing the sides of my breasts that poked out of my bra before sneaking his hand behind my back once again. I felt his fingers unhooking the clasp of my bra and he pulled it off, allowing the crisp air in the room to hit my now fully exposed breasts. I felt self conscious about their size as well, as they had fluctuated due to weight gain and loss. They were currently in a middle ground due to my small body frame, but I still wore often wore somewhere between a B and C bra size.

He stared at them with lust filled eyes and licked his lips, his tongue poking out a bit and curling up at the right hand corner of his mouth ever so slightly. That look alone was easily one of the sexiest things I had ever seen anyone do.

“Shhh”, Michael whispered as he cuppedboth my breasts and massaged them with his palms. I could feel my nipples hardening under the graze of his thumbs. “They’re lovely”, he said as he seemingly admired them. “They fit so perfectly in my hands”.

“They should fit perfectly in your mouth too”, I whispered back, surprised at my boldness. Michael also seemed surprised as he raised his eyebrow.

“Well”, he said, “you’re growing confident. I could tell you had that in you”.

”I - I’m just warning you now”, I said quietly. “It’s, uh, been a while since I’ve done this and I, uh...”

“That doesn’t matter”, he interrupted my train of thought as he continued to squeeze my breasts. “I’ve also been deprived myself. Let’s fix that for each other, shall we?” 

He was at least a foot taller than me; I was 4’11 and felt embarrassed that he chose to kneel down in front of me. He didn’t seem to care, as he took the entirety of my left breast and nipple in his mouth, suckling at it before running his tongue along and moving to the other. I felt tingles on my body as I unbuckled his belt and slipped it off as he worked his mouth over my chest. I unzipped his dress pants and helped him stand up and slide them down, swallowing hard at the sight of the bulge forming in his black boxer briefs. 

Michael lifted his head up from my chest and stepped out of his high boots, pulling his pants and socks off with them. He was slightly shorter without the boots on, but still taller than me by several inches.

I stood there staring at him as he was nearly naked, and noticed he was eyeing the lower half of my body, almost as if he was contemplating his next move. 

“T-touch me”, I whispered to him. “Please. Touch me everywhere”. Figured I would help move things along somehow.

He grinned as he approached me again, circling around until he was standing behind me. He pulled me into him so our bodies were touching, his hand making its way down my back slowly before I felt his fingers gripping tightly on the cheek of my ass. I let out a small grunt and Michael looked over at me, knowing that it made an impression. 

“Oh, you’re sensitive back here, aren’t you?” he said, as he slid his fingers inside my panties and gently squeezed. “You like that?”

I nodded. “Mhm”, I replied.

”How about this?” he asked with a smirk, as he gave the opposite side of my ass a small smack, not too hard but enough that it made my body lurch forward a bit. I could tell he was testing to see what my pleasure spots were and was figuring them out quickly.

“I - I love that”, I said quietly to him. 

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind”, he said, as he moved his hand around to the crotch of my panties and dragged his fingers over the front of the light pink fabric. He looked at me and smirked as he stroked me through my underwear, pushing his finger through the soft, cotton material. A small jolt shifted through me and I felt my legs clench at the feeling of his touch below.

“I see I’ve done something to you”, he purred, rubbing a second finger over the wet spot that had formed in the cotton. 

“Y-yes, you did. I tend to get turned on quickly”, I said in a low voice to him, admitting one of my weaknesses. I was somewhat embarrassed to admit that I had started getting turned on the second he began kissing my neck earlier. 

“That’s _very_ good to know”, he said with another smirk. He circled back around so he was facing me, his fingers still carassing the crotch of my panties. “Shall I take them off for you?” he whispered.

I nodded yes.

He grinned as he extended his hand and led me over to the loveseat.

I sat, but he slowly pushed me down so I was lying on my back on the small couch. He trailed the tips of his fingers down the valley between my breasts as he slipped two of them under the elastic waistband of my panties and slid them off my legs. 

My now fully exposed body felt a chill as he stood over me and removed his own underpants, and I gulped at the sight his long, girthy cock now on display in front of me. I also took notice of his muscular thighs and calves; basically, everything on his lower body caused me to gasp and bite my lower lip. He was _breathtaking_. 

Michael sat on the edge of the loveseat and stared at my fully naked self, equally on display for him. 

“Looks like I was right”, he said with a sly tone in his voice. “You’re beautiful”. 

I didn’t reply to him, but felt my face turning warm once again.

“And it’s so endearing when you blush like that after I compliment you”, he said, reaching forward and kissing me gently. 

“Are you comfortable?” He asked as he pulled away from the kiss. 

“Y-yes, I think so”, I said, still stuttering a little. 

“Good”, he responded. He leaned his face forward and his lips brushed against my ear. “I would like to fuck you, if you’ll allow me the pleasure of doing so”, he whispered. 

”I - I want you to”, I stammered, my heart racing. I had assumed we were going to considering we were both naked with each other and he had already touched and kissed me, but I liked that he was asking first. 

“Oh, I know you do”, he said, running his palms down my sides. “However, I would like you to relax. You seem nervous. I’m sensing you also still feel a bit insecure. Why is that?”

”You want me to answer this _now_?” I asked curiously. I glanced down to see that he was already quite hard, and I was feeling anxious. 

Michael squeezed himself beside me on the small couch and caressed his fingers across my stomach. 

“I - I just...” I stammered, my eyes tearing up a bit. “Oh, fuck it. You’re just so incredibly attractive, I mean... you’re stunning. And I - I pale in comparison. I don’t know why you want _me_. You’re like some kind of god...”

”Not quite”, he interrupted with a smirk. “But, I assure you, Barrie... you don’t pale in comparison to me or anyone else. I really do think you're very beautiful. Your body is beautiful.” He ran his hand from my stomach up to my breasts and down my sides. “I wish you could see what I see when I look at you.” He leaned his face down to kiss me again. 

“I want to do something for you first, if you’ll let me, to hopefully show you how badly I want to have you”, he said quietly, hovering his face slightly above my mouth after pulling away.

“What’s that?” I asked. 

He didn’t respond; he merely bent his head down, kissing my stomach around my naval and lifted my right leg up, trailing soft kisses on the inside of my thigh. I knew where he was headed with this.

Michael shifted to the other side of the loveseat and settled himself between my legs. He looked up at me briefly as he hovered his fingers above my groin. “May I touch you?” he asked quietly. “May I... _taste_ you?” He stared down between my legs and licked his lips. “I want to make you feel good, and forgive me for being a bit selfish, but I’m _dying_ to taste you right now”. 

I gulped and nodded my head yes. 

He continued and brushed his lips against my other thigh, slowly working his headdown. I felt his mouth below my stomach and his hands reach up to caress my hips. His placed several light kisses  before his tongue slipped inside, licking a long stripe, slowly and working his way up towards my clit. He increased both his licking and sucking speeds a little and added a finger, lifting my legs over his shoulders and teasing my butt hole in his feast.

I thrusted my hips into him and my body shook as he continued. My breathing increased. I had been with a couple of men prior who had gone down on me, and while I generally enjoyed it, they all really didn’t quite get things right. Michael, however, not only knew what he was doing, but somehow seemed to know what I liked and how I liked it. Almost as if he was inside my head. 

He looked up at me and curled two fingers now inside me, pumping harder and circling against my clit.

“Fuckkkk”, I said, “I wanna cum!” The words blurted out and I couldn’t help myself.

“My, you really are such a _dirty_ girl”, he said, his brows shifting as he stared at me. “You were a nervous wreck earlier and now that I have you in my grasp, you’re nearly begging for it. I want you to beg for it”. I looked and could see that his cock was now fully erect and his own breathing was deepening.

“I want you”, I panted, breathing heavily now. 

“Tell me what you want”, he said, nearly hissing. “You know you want this more then anything. But, not yet. You’re going to tell me. I want to hear you _say_ it”. 

“Yes...” I said. My small frame felt his body heavy over mine and I knew the easiest way for me to make this happen. I pushed his chest slowly and he got the hint, turning over on his back as he positioned me atop his groin.

“You want to be in control” he said. “Go on. Ride me”. 

“Fuck me, Michael!” I shouted, not being able to contain myself any longer. “I want you... inside me”.

“That’s what I like to hear”, Michael said as he settled me down and slid his cock into my wetness. I thrusted my hips hard, trying to find a steady rhythm. As  I had told him, it had been quite a while since I’d had sex, admittedly even longer than prior to the bombs falling. I had to get used to the sensation of it once again, as well as adjust to his size, let alone remember how to be on top. I bounced and thrusted at the same time and Michael was breathing rapidly now, his hands gripping my hips. He fixated his eyes on my breasts and pulled one of his hands away. I assumed he was going to grab my chest now for extra support, but instead I saw him slowly slip the ring on his right index finger off.

“What are you...” I started to ask, between pants, but was completely taken aback when I felt the cold metal of the jewel of his ring against my swollen clit. He turned it in circles and the extra sensation added to my pleasure.

“You don’t cum until I say you can”, he huffed. “Show me what you’re capable of”.

I bounced harder and he must have sensed I was getting tired because he tossed the ring aside and flipped me over, thrusting into me hard.

“Cum for me”, he panted between breaths. “Be that person you know you want to be. Give in to me”.

I moaned louder than I had, my body shaking as my orgasm overtook me.

Michael’s though... very briefly, I thought I saw his face turn white as a sheet and his eyes turn completely black. It happened in an instant and the color of his face returned as his eyes rolled back and he pulled out in a swift motion, his hot, sticky seed shooting over my stomach and breasts. I barely had time to process what had happened as I was still coming down from my own orgasmic bliss.

As I calmed down, I turned to look at Michael who was now lying on his back on the floor, staring at the ceiling and panting. I hadn’t even noticed he’d rolled off the loveseat. 

“Holy fuck”, I managed to say. Looking to break the awkwardness, I turned and looked at him. “So... is this how all your interviews are going or did I get that special treatment?” 

Michael turned on his side and looked up at me, stifling a small laugh. “We never did finish your interview”, he said.

“I suppose we didn’t”, I said as I eyed his naked body in front of me. I was absolutely mesmerized by him. “I’m not sure if this was part of it, or...”

“Everything is”, he said as he stood up. He once again extended his hand to me and helped me off the loveseat. “There’s a shower in the bathroom over there”,’ he said quietly as he gestured to the other side of the room. “You’re welcome to clean yourself off if you like”.

I looked up at him and shot him the best seductive smile I could. “You’re welcome to join me”, I said. 

He smirked and led me to the bathroom. Once inside, he reached into a vanity cabinet next to the sink, setting out towels for us both before opening the glass shower doors and turned the water on. I stepped in first and allowed the stream of warm water to hit my skin. I felt Michael’s long arms sneak up behind me and he began running a bar of soap across my front and other parts of my body, cleaning off where he had left parts of himself on me.

“No, really, you don’t have to,” I started to say.

“I insist,” he said as he worked up into a lather and massaged the soap onto my breasts. “Besides, I’m very much enjoying the view below. Your ass is an absolute sight to behold.” He whispered in my ear as his hands reached down and worked the soap into it, working his way up my back. 

“Your muscles are so tense,” he said. My mild scoliosis caused me to have back problems and I felt my muscles flinch as he kneaded his palms into my shoulders. “Does it bring you great pain?”

“Yes,” I said, “You’re helping.” He was, but I still wished the Outpost had Tylenol.

He continued to wash down my body and I felt his lips caressing the crook between my shoulder and neck. His fingers digging into my ass. His hands reaching up to squeeze my breasts. I moaned in pleasure and he took notice. He pressed his body into me, and I could feel his cock stiffening again now as it rubbed against the backs of my thighs.

“You’re not making this easy on me when I know you enjoy this,” Michael purred into my ear.

“You should stop being a tease and just fuck me back there already”, I said, nearly gasping at what I had said to him. I didn’t care - I was well aware he knew what he was doing, and I wanted him again badly. 

“Why, whatever do you mean?” he said in his sultry voice, his fingers tweaking one of my nipples between them. I squirmed as I felt his lips against the back of my neck. “I was simply trying to wash you... and your breasts”. 

“Yeah, sure you were”, I said sarcastically, reaching behind my back and gently stroking my fingertips along his hard shaft that dug into the skin of my thigh. When I heard him humming into my ear, I took an opportunity to play his game. “What?” I said sweetly. “I’m just trying to wash your cock”. 

“Oh, you pretend you’re quite innocent but you know damn well what you want”, he said. “Try to relax, darling.”

He pushed my body forward a bit and I placed my hands on the tiled shower wall for support as his fingers lightly ran the length of my stomach, reaching down to curl two of them inside me once again. I moaned, and soon felt Michael thrust hard into me from behind as he massaged my clit with one hand. I panted heavily and felt strands of his long, wet hair dripping over my shoulders. On an impulse, I reached up behind me, gripped some of his hair and tugged at it slightly.

He must have enjoyed that because his slow pace became faster and his breathing heavier now.

“Fuck, Barrieeee!” I heard him shout on a particularly hard thrust as I accidentally yanked his hair hard. My own orgasm intensified as he pressed down my on clit. I felt my vaginal muscles clench around his fingers as waves of warmth shot through my entire body. Michael wasn’t far behind, as I felt him pull out and his hot sticky liquid shoot over my back this time.

I then heard a noticeable thump, and turned to see he had fallen backwards on the floor of the shower.

“Holy shit, are you okay?!” My concerning instincts kicking in.

“Yes, I’m fine”, he said as he caught his breath. “Slight slip.” He stared up at me. “You. You’re... you’re something else. I didn’t know you had that in you but I am pleasantly surprised”. 

I extended my hand and helped him up. He handed me a shampoo bottle and the soap bar and we both went to clean ourselves off separately. Michael had his back turned to me. I didn’t know what to even say to him. 

“I’m dying to know what any of this has to do with figuring out if I’m a candidate for the Sanctuary or not”, I said finally.

Michael didn’t respond to me. He turned and smirked, then went and stepped out of the shower. I finished up and caught a glance of his own ass as he left, smiling to myself as I admired it sneakily.

I covered myself in a towel and saw Michael facing himself in the bathroom mirror above the sink with a towel wrapped around his waist and one around his neck. He was reapplying the eyeshadow that had come off in the shower and I found myself dying to know about his skin care routine. 

“Part of your ‘cooperation’ in this process requires a physical examination”, he said, not looking away from the mirror.

“So that’s what we’re calling that now?” I said as I went to step outside the bathroom. I kept watching him apply his eyeshadow, only for him to turn to acknowledge me a few times. Each time, I looked away.

“I can’t help but find it terribly cute how you keep doing that”, I heard him say from the bathroom as I toweled off and dried my hair.

“Doing what?” I asked, going to pick up my underwear, socks and Grey dress, which was crumbled in a ball on the floor.

Michael stepped out of the bathroom and stood in the doorway with his hand resting on the frame, still in his towel. His eyeshadow was perfectly applied now. 

“Pardon my bluntness, darling”, he said, “But we just fucked twice in the span of an hour and a half, yet you’re still stealing glances at me and looking away when I go to make eye contact. Like a schoolgirl with a crush. I think we’re well past the embarrassment stage by now, wouldn’t you agree?” He winked at me and I felt like I was going to fall over. 

All I could do was shrug. 

Michael left the bathroom and dropped his towel, slipping back into his underwear and pants as I equally dropped my towel on the floor and reached for my panties and bra.

“If It were up to me”, I heard him say behind me as I clasped my bra behind my back. “You would just wear nothing at all times. But I’m sure Ms. Venable wouldn’t enjoy that”.

“You certainly don’t seem to care about her rules”, I said as I pulled the dress over my head.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that”, Michael said as he buttoned his shirt. "I have more control over them than you know". 

“So... interview...” I asked as I tied my hair back into that stupid bun with my hair ties.

“We do need to finish, yes”, Michael replied as he slid his feet into his boots one by one. “I still need to consider you as a potential candidate for the Sanctuary”.

He approached me slowly, and brushed his hand along my cheek. “But... somehow I have a feeling you would prefer another more _personal_ encounter along with it”, he said softly, shooting me another wink. “I do need to get work done, but I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t enjoy that as well. Consider it a bonus.”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at with this”, I admitted to him, as I had been wondering the entire time what his MO was.

“You see, I have a talent. Call it a... kind of a night vision of the soul”, he said as he picked a stray piece of lint off my shoulder. “I can see into the dark places people desperately try to keep hidden. You say you can only feel sexual attraction if you feel a connection with someone, yet you’ve been all over me.” 

“Well, it’s a spectrum...", I started to say.

“You act reserved and quiet with your mannerisms but your confidence and knowing what you wanted before was very telling. It was... incredibly _sexy_ ”, he whispered, emphasizing on that word. “I can gauge you have reservations about feeling desired. I’m not sure why yet. Hopefully we can find that out as we move forward. I sense that you feel... drawn to me. A desire you can’t quite explain. I see something in you. There’s a fire. A spark. You’re not like the others, at least not the ones I’ve spoken to thus far.”

He leaned in and licked the end of my nose. “If I may”, he whispered. “You aren’t the only person in this Outpost who has expressed interest in fucking me, but you’re the certainly the only one who intrigued me enough to want to oblige”.

I felt my face turn hot as Michael took a step back. “I would like you to come to my room tomorrow morning after breakfast”. He spoke as if it wasn’t a request, but a command.

I gulped. “Y-your room?” I stuttered. 

“Yes”, he said. “For the continuation of your interview, amongst... other things”, he said with a smirk. “We will however have to sneak you in, lest we arouse suspicion. Come by my office first and we’ll head up through here”. Michael pointed to the spiral staircase behind him.

“S-sure”, I said, not wanting to leave now. I knew if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off him.

Michael stepped back toward me once again and shot me a half-smile. “You’re still so _eager_ ”, he said. “You want to keep touching me. Isn’t that so?”

I was confused. How could he have possibly known that?

“I might”, I said, trying to remain calm.

“But what would we have to look forward to tomorrow then?” He said, as he walked over to the doors of the office to glide them open. He stood next to the doorway as I went to leave. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was the kissing goodbye type but decided not to take my chances. 

Without warning, Michael yanked my hand and pulled me in close to him, pressing his lips to mine and giving me a long, slow kiss. “Consider that a preview”, he said with a smirk as he pulled away.

“Good day, Mr. Langdon”, I said, and could feel his eyes fixated on me as I left the office and headed quickly down the hall to my own room.

 

* * *

 

Closing the door quickly behind me, I tossed myself on my bed and screamed into a pillow. I was still completely in amazement as to what had just happened. It felt like a bizarre, surreal dream. Never in my life had I imagined that in this post apocalyptic hellscape, where I was living as a basic servant in an underground bunker for nearly two years with a strict no sex-policy, that a mysterious, beautiful stranger would show up one day and give me some of the best sex of my life.

I spent the rest of the day and evening barely concentrating on my tasks at hand, but tried to the best of my ability. My friend Mallory, a fellow Grey, a mousey young woman with brown hair and face adorned with black rimmed glasses, must have noticed my distracted state. She repeatedly asked me if I was okay as we cleaned up from dinner.

“I’m fine”, I had insisted, “I’m just very tired today”. (I mean... I wasn’t wrong.) “I think I’m gonna turn in early after we finish”.

“I’m here if you need anything”, she had said to me. Mallory and I had become close friends in the last few months and I appreciated her being there, and I’m sure she felt similarly since she was constantly berated by Coco Saint-Pierre Vanderbilt, one of the higher class “Purples” Outpost residents. Mallory had told me that she worked as Coco’s personal assistant before the bombs fell and was the reason she was even in the Outpost in the first place. She owed her a debt of gratitude, but it still hurt me to see how much Coco insulted and tormented her on a daily basis.

Later that evening in my room as I tried to fall asleep, my mind raced. Michael had completely occupied every corner of my brain. I kept picturing him. His hands. His lips. His eyes ( _especially_ his eyes). His fingers. His hair. The feeling of his skin against mine, and the feeling of his mouth on me. His hands on me.

I felt the heavy feeling in my abdomen and lightly brushed my fingers against my body under my sleeping garments and slowly worked them down below my stomach, moaning to myself as I imagined Michael’s slender fingers down there instead of my short, stubby ones.

I finished and felt my body relax as I finally became drowsy. As my eyes slowly fluttered shut, I thought I saw images flash to me of Michael, but they weren’t what I had imagined. He was naked, but sitting in a circle surrounded by what looked like a pentagram drawn on the floor in blood. 

I drifted to sleep and chalked it up to being the beginning of a dream.

Or... was it?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More smut ahead but there’s some fluff added this time. I added some of the relationship dynamics between Mallory and the protagonist, as I’ll be exploring their friendship too (it’ll be important as it goes on). 
> 
> Also, some relationship development between her and Michael. I’m going to work his obvious evil in slowly but surely, and I hope he doesn’t seem too out of character from the show. 
> 
> Basically I’m taking a cue from Cody Fern’s interviews and using his insights that Michael finds himself drawn to strong women. I’m going with the headcanon that his original intention for her was to bring out her darkness like everyone else, but is slowly finding her darkness is different than others (he makes mention of this here). This not only intrigues him but he finds her intensely attractive, so you can see his intentions shifting. 
> 
> I made them have a conversation about the nature of their developing relationship here. She’s unsure and doesn’t trust him (rightfully so). He still wants to dig deeper into her psyche but also does find himself enjoying her company. Since this is in first person narrative, I’m going to try my best to explore his side of this, because in my head he doesn’t understand it either but can’t let it go.

My mind was already racing and my chest tight when I approached the Outpost kitchen for the morning serving shift. As I helped push the meal carts to the dining room for the Purples, I scanned the room to see if Michael would be there, considering he had not shown for dinner the night before either.

 “So, Langdon won’t be joining us again?” I heard Coco inquire.

Ms. Venable sat and stared down at the blonde woman from the end of the table. “Mr. Langdon has chosen to take his meals privately during his stay,” she informed everyone. “We’ll be rationing the cubes even more now since we have an extra mouth to feed in him.” I heard a chorus of groans echo from around the table.

Venable nodded to dismiss the Greys from the room for our own meal time, which basically always consisted of us sitting around in the kitchen, eating whatever vitamin cubes they gave us and waiting to be summoned into the dining room again to clean up. I took my cube on a plate and sat down at the table in the kitchen with it, trying to both force and savor it, as my stomach was already in knots from the thought of meeting with Michael again after breakfast. I sat wondering how long specifically I should wait to head to his office, when I was interrupted and distracted by Mallory sitting down across from me with her plate and glass of mineral water.

“You sounded like you were having fun last night,” she said with a smirk as she sliced into a small piece of her cube with a knife.

I felt my face flush and could feel the sweat beads starting to form. Had Mallory heard us?! It didn’t even occur to me to think that the walls of his office may not have been soundproofed.

“Um,” I said, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

“No, don’t worry girl! It’s fine,” Mallory assured me as she sipped from her glass. “I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and heard you moaning next door.”

I remembered now that Mallory’s room was next to mine on the right, and she obviously was referring to me fantasizing about Michael before falling asleep. I laughed to myself thinking I hadn’t even realized I was making any noise.

“Don’t be embarrassed, I totally get it,” she continued. “I mean, it’s been over eighteen months and nobody here is getting laid anyways. I already assumed everyone was masturbating constantly.”

“Still, I’m sorry you had to hear that,” I said, still feeling somewhat embarrassed. “I actually hadn’t done it in a while and I guess I was overdue or something.” (which wasn’t really a lie). I picked up my glass to take a sip of water myself.

“So,” Mallory said as she took the final bite of her cube. “Who’s Michael?” She raised an eyebrow.

Out of nowhere, the cool water trickled down the wrong pipe and felt myself gasping for air. Mallory, concerned for my well being, asked if she could do anything. “Just give me... a minute...” I gasped as I worked to regain my breath. Her asking me about Michael must have really startled me, considering I literally choked in response.

“No, but really, who is he?” Mallory continued. “Old boyfriend? Fuck buddy? Both?”

I hadn’t even realized I must have said his name in addition to moaning loud enough for Mallory to have heard.

“Let’s just go with ‘fuck buddy’, I guess,” I said, laughing to myself as I could already feel I was walking into that exact scenario. _Post_ _end of the world fuck buddy_ was not what I had in mind for my personal bucket list.

“He... well, I’m assuming he’s dead now,” I said to Mallory in an attempt to try and change the subject as quick as possible. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Understood,” she said. “I’m just teasing you anyway. Oh! I did want to ask how your interview with Langdon went! I never asked you yesterday - you seemed very out of it.”

I dropped my fork on the floor and froze for a second as I leaned down to pick it up. I took a deep breath before I spoke.

“It went... okay,” was all I could manage to muster, trying to sound as calm as possible. “It was sort of intense. He asks a lot of personal questions but, uh, he sort of made it easy to open up to him about it.”

Mallory’s eyes widened. “Really? I can’t imagine anyone being able to open up to him. He creeps me out.”

“Oh, he creeps me out, too,” I said, echoing her sentiment that I still was feeling on a certain level, although I knew deep down it was already shifting. “But, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s something in his voice. It can be very soothing and relaxed me enough to talk.” There was definitely a kernel of truth in this statement.

Mallory cocked her head and looked lost in thought. “I guess I can see that,” she said. “I’m just nervous about my interview with him. He’s very intimidating. Not gonna lie though, this will sound so weird but... I was thinking he’d be pretty good looking if he didn’t creep me the fuck out.”

 _Goddammit, Mallory, you’re going to blow my cover and you don’t even know it_ , was all I could think.

“I guess,” I lied. “We actually never finished it. He wants me to go back shortly for phase two.”

“Really?” Mallory asked, sounding surprised.

“Yeah. It got pretty intense I guess, and out of nowhere he just stopped the questioning and told me we would continue it another time.”

“Well,” Mallory said. “I feel a little better about it, maybe he won’t be so bad.”

“I mean, this is just what my experience was,” I said. “I’m not sure it’ll be the same for everyone.”

“Still good to keep in mind,” Mallory replied as she stood, taking both of our plates and forks and bringing them to the sink. I brought the glasses and followed her to help wash.

“When is your interview?” I asked her.

“Not sure. Venable told me tomorrow sometime I think, but she said that was a maybe and it could even be the day after. I know he said it should only take him a couple of days, but it seems like he’s going at his own pace. He only interviewed two other people besides you and Gallant yesterday. One was Ms. Venable and I think the other was just a security guard.”

This reminded me of Michael’s words to me that I “hadn’t been the only person in the compound to express interest in fucking him”, but that I was the only one he did. I began to wonder if something had come up during one of those other interviews?

It also suddenly made me remember that when I left the dining room earlier, I saw that someone at the table was noticeably missing.

“Hey,” I asked as we ran our dishes under the stream of water and dragged soapy sponges across them. “Speaking of Gallant. I don’t remember seeing him at breakfast today. Did he show up after I came in here?” 

“I noticed that too!” Mallory exclaimed. “And I don’t think so. Before I came into the kitchen, Coco grabbed me and asked if I had seen him. She started complaining to me about needing to find him to fix her split ends.”

I wondered about the strangeness of the situation when I heard the loud tap of Ms. Venable’s cane approaching as the other Greys brought in the dirty dishes on the cart from the dining room. She appeared in the doorway directly behind them.

“Miss Cohen,” she said in her demanding voice. “You are excused of your duties for the rest of the morning. Mr. Langdon has requested for you to go to his office to continue your interview. He specifically noted that he isn’t sure how long it’s going to take, so you may pick up your shift again around lunch time unless he says otherwise.”

The tall woman with aburn hair pulled back in a tight bun gestured for me to come with her. "And he specifically instructed not to keep him waiting long.”

I dried my hands on a dish towel and saw Mallory mouth the words _good_ _luck_ to me as I left the sink to join Ms. Venable.

 

* * *

 

I ascended the stairs to Michael’s office, breathing heavily and trying to remain calm. The knots in my stomach had returned. I couldn’t believe the power this man had over me, and the way I was feeling.

Standing outside his office finally, I took several deep breaths. I wasn’t sure if I should knock, but didn’t need to - the doors slid open and there he was standing in front of me. He looked around, presumably to check if the coast was clear. 

Then, he motioned for me to follow him inside, putting his finger to his lips in a _shhh_ motion. He walked ahead of me with his hands behind his back, and the doors behind me slid shut. Without Michael even touching them. I looked around confused, but didn’t have a chance to speak before Michael cocked his head and nodded to the spiral staircase he told me the previous day led to his room.

“Come on,” he said in a low voice, motioning for me to go first.

I stepped in front of him and felt his eyes burning into me the entire time as I stepped slowly up the staircase. I heard the clang of his boots against the metal as he followed behind me.

The stairs led to a hallway upstairs I had never been down before. Michael walked ahead of me now and I followed, until we got to a door. He opened it and allowed me to step in first before closing it behind us.

His room didn’t look much different than my own, save for the furniture arrangement. A bed in the middle of the room. A tall dresser. A desk in the far left corner directly next to the bed. A silver MacBook computer adorned his desk next to a folder that I assumed was mine. One noticeable difference was the small fireplace on the far right side corner of the room, adjacent to his desk. I wasn’t surprised, as I knew Ms. Venable and a few of the Purples also had fireplaces in their rooms. 

“Please, sit,” he said, gesturing to a chair seated directly adjacent to his desk. I sat and he in his desk chair. Both our chairs were close enough that our legs almost touched.

I heard a _ding_ come from his laptop and couldn’t help taking a peek. He had what looked like an active email inbox open on his screen.

“Wait,” I finally said, “You... have _Internet_?!” Did he have a satellite hookup or something? I didn’t even know. Having a working computer was strange enough. “How?”

“Let’s just say I have my ways,” he said, closing the laptop screen and crossing his legs, picking the folder up off the desk and flipping through it.

“So how are we today, Barrie?” He said, not looking up from the folder. “I trust you slept well?”

“I did,” I said honestly. “Actually, better than I have in a while.”

Michael looked up and made eye contact with me. “Sounds like you were quite _exhausted_ ,” he said as he winked at me.

I nearly fell off the chair. 

He returned to the folder and skimmed the contents.

 _So we’re just avoiding the elephant in the room_ , I thought to myself.

“Okay, listen,” I said outright, “Let’s just get this out in the open before we move on. Are we forgetting about what happened yesterday? If yes, please just tell me now so I can attempt to be a normal person around you, somehow.” It wasn’t like me to be this up front, but considering the circumstances, I felt like I didn’t have much time to waste.

Michael looked up and plopped the folder down on the desk. “Forgetting what happened?” he questioned. “Now why would I go and do something silly like that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know,” I said. “One night - one _day_ stand? I’m used to most men doing that and never calling me again, what can I say.”

“I’m not like most men,” he said, leaning forward and placing his hand on my right knee. He stroked his fingers against it lightly and slowly worked them up my thigh. I gulped.

“If I’m being perfectly honest,” he said, “I actually was trying to be a gentleman. It’s usually not in my nature to do so, but I felt you would find it inappropriate if I told you what I _really_ wanted to do to you once we were alone.”

I could feel the sweat beads returning slowly. 

“Darling,” he purred, his hand going up higher now, “You’re still so nervous. That’s awfully adorable.”

“You’re intimidating,” I said.

“And here I was thinking we were growing close,” he said with a smirk. “It’s amusing to me how I still make you sweat even though I’ve been inside you twice now.”

 _Fuck_ , I thought.

“Not just yet,” he said softly.

“Huh?” I said, confused.

Michael smirked again. “So tell me this,” he said. “Which would you prefer? We be professional and attempt to do this interview? Or shall we give in to our carnal urges first and see where the day takes us?” 

“Um...”, I said, trying not to stutter. “I’m gonna be honest. The second one. Definitely the second one.”

Michael stifled a small laugh. “You’re so _needy_. And it’s so early in the day.” 

“I... do have one request though,” I said, kind of surprised at what I was about to say. It was not like me, but I was feeling less nervous than I had the day before. “Can... can you, can we, be a _little_ rougher this time? I appreciate that you were pretty slow with me yesterday, but today...” 

I didn’t get to finish my sentence, as I watched Michael’s mouth curve into a devilish grin and lick his lips in that sexy way he had yesterday, his tongue poking out slightly. Any self control I was trying to maintain was going right out the window. 

“Oh, with _pleasure_ ,” he purred. 

He reached over and pulled me out of the chair towards him, his mouth meeting mine as I ran my hands through his long, soft hair and he undid the bun in mine. He straddled me on his lap as he kissed me hard, hitching his hands up the skirt of my dress and unexpectedly picked me up from underneath, raising us both out of the chair. He approached the bed and dropped me on my back on top of it.

“Dress. Off. _Now_ ,” he said almost coldly as he stood over me. He kicked his shoes off and began to remove both his shirt and the red scarf that adorned his neck.

I unzipped it from the back and slid out of it, removing my own shoes and socks as Michael’s pants hit the floor. 

He looked down at my body hungrily, almost like a hunter stalking his prey.

”I must say,” he said as he bent down and hovered over me, “It’s quite a shame you’re forced to wear this horribly boring outfit around here. It looks far better on my bedroom floor.” He smirked at me and pushed my uniform off his bed. 

He lowered his head and went to work, kissing down my neck to my collarbone and eventually to my chest as he lifted me up and ripped my bra off, so hard I heard one of the clasps break.

This time _definitely_ didn’t feel so much like previous day. This felt more urgent, more primal and animalistic.

Michael yanked my panties down almost as quickly as he had ripped my bra off, his fingers hovering down my stomach and towards my thighs as he settled his mouth on one of my breasts. The way things were going, it seemed like he was going to skip the foreplay at first, so needless to say I was pleasantly surprised.

He positioned himself over me on both of his knees, as I reached up and impulsively pinched one of his nipples. Michael then lifted his head and as he let out an unexpected moan, I felt satisfied at my choice.

“ _Bad_ _girl_ ,” he said, nearly hissing. “You’re becoming more bold. I like that.”

He was still in his boxer briefs now, the bulge in them becoming too big to ignore. I lifted my hands up and grabbed them by the waistband, attempting to pull them down.

“Off. Now,” I commanded, echoing his words to me earlier.

“Well, well,” Michael purred, lifting my hands off and removing them himself, tossing them on the floor beside the bed. I swallowed once again at the sight of his erection in front of me. “ _So_ impatient you are.”

He reached down and slid two fingers inside me, curling them and circling around my clit as I flinched and squeezed my thighs around his hand. “You’re so wet for me already.” He said softly. “I want you to run the show for a bit. I think you know very well what you want me to do.”

“Make me cum!” I snapped at him.

“Not yet,” he said with a smirk as he teased my clit with his fingers. 

“Fuck you!” I shouted at him without thinking.

“Oh you will be, very soon,” he said, lifting my leg up with his free hand and raising it to his lips as he slid his tongue down along my calf.

I squirmed as I bucked my hips into his hand, my breathing increasing and heavier now. Michael started to kiss and nibble at my inner thighs as he tossed my legs over his shoulders as he did the day before. I moaned softly as he nibbled, which he took notice of and looked directly at me. He glided his fingertips directly along the insides and backs of my thighs, lifting one up and pressed his teeth into the skin some more, slightly harder now.

“Fuckkkk,” I moaned, enjoying the sensation of his bites more than I imagined I would.

“I already said not yet,” Michael repeated as he stared at me through my legs. “First, let me taste you again.” 

He bent his head down and his mouth hit me below, causing me to sit up and grab at his hair as a reflex motion. Michael went rougher than he had the previous day, pumping his fingers quickly as he sucked my clit and I almost hit him in the teeth from how fast my hips were thrusting into his mouth. I moaned loudly and panted heavy, my body feeling hot from the feeling of Michael’s mouth and tongue.

He stopped for a moment and pulled away, simply brushing his fingertip over the hood of my clit in a teasing manner and licked around his mouth where I had left bits of myself on him. 

“Oh, how much more satisfying you are than those terrible vitamin cubes,” he said with a smirk. “And you taste _so_ much better. I may skip the cubes and just have you during my meal times instead.” He bent down again and replaced his fingertip with his tongue as it flicked against me. 

“Michael, I’m gonna cum!” I shouted at him. “Fuck me already!”

He looked up and pushed me back on the bed slowly, leaning his body down but merely grazing his cock against my thigh as he hovered over me.

“Beg,” he demanded as he positioned himself in line with me but didn’t go in just yet. “Tell me how bad you want it. For the second day in a row I have you underneath me at your insistence. You don’t get you what you desire from me until you let out what you were thinking when you walked in here.”

“I want you to fuck me into next week!” I shouted in his face. “I can’t take it! Please, fuck me Michael!” I snapped. I was so close at this point that I was willing to play his game. 

“Good girl,” he moaned as he thrusted into me hard, sliding in and speeding up as he jerked his head back and his own breathing began to deepen. I reached my head up and gripped my nails into his back, also reaching up and sucking on his neck harder than I realized I was even doing and accidentally bit down as he rocked into me.

I pulled my mouth away and felt my body heave as I climaxed under him. Michael wasn’t finished yet so I decided to help him along. 

“You cum for _me_ now!” I said loudly into his ear. “Do it like I know you want to.”

That must have done the trick because Michael’s face twisted, his eyes squeezed shut and he pulled out of me, his cum shooting in excessive amounts over my legs this time. He panted as he fell backwards on the bed next to me, catching his breath.

“Fuckkkkkkk,” he whispered to himself. I was almost in shock considering how cool he had played it the day before, except for in the shower when I had apparently knocked the wind out of him. This seemed like almost a repeat of that.

I turned over my side to look at him, noticing a small, purplish bruise forming on his neck where I had bitten down. _Oops_.  

“Uh, sorry about that,” I said, not knowing what else to say. If dirty talk wasn’t my strong suit, pillow talk was my even worse one.

He turned to me, looking confused. I pointed to the mark on his neck, which he ran his fingers over and let out a small laugh.

“Oh, I can take care of that,” he said. “I must say, I’m impressed, Barrie.” I should have figured; the man had eyeshadow, he likely also had concealer to deal with a hickey.

“Impressed?” I said, raising an eyebrow at him.

He turned on his own side and hoisted up his head on his elbow, facing me. “I don’t like unpredictability, unless I’m responsible for it. But... you continue to find new ways to surprise me,” he said, brushing his fingers along my arm and up my shoulder. “It’s almost as if you let yourself go around me.”

“I think I feel comfortable around you,” I said, also finally admitting to myself what I was really feeling.

“Good. That’s what I was hoping for. You have no reason to be nervous,” he said, continuing to run his fingers along my skin. “This is all part of your test, you know.”

“Really?” I asked. “And here I thought you just enjoyed fucking me for fun on the side.”

“Well,” he said, moving in to kiss me. “You aren’t completely wrong there. At least about the fun part.”

Michael then reached his arm that had been holding his head up and slipped it under my neck, pulling me towards his chest and wrapping the other arm around me.

I didn’t think he was into cuddling. He was equally full of surprises.

“Are you ever going to tell me the specifics of my test?” I asked as I rested my head against his torso.

Michael nuzzled his face into my shoulder and hugged me to him tighter. For someone who I initially believed wasn’t into cuddling, he seemed way more into it than I was. Here I was trying to stay as detached as possible and he wasn’t making it easy on me.

“The fact that you want to stay detached is very telling,” he said softly.

I lifted my head up, feeling confused and slightly scared now. “Okay,” I said. “How the fuck are you doing that?! Almost every time I think something around you, you respond to me as if you... _heard_ _my_ _thoughts_?” 

Michael grinned at me from down on the pillow. “My talent for seeing into the dark places, darling,” he said. “Remember?”

“I don’t have any dark places,” I said.

Michael slowly pulled me back down to him. “That’s what’s made me curious about you,” He said as he twirled a strand of my hair through his fingers. “You definitely do have them. But... they aren’t the dark places I’m used to seeing in people. Normally I see anger, resentment, bitterness, hidden violent urges, things of that nature. With you though... there’s something different. Your dark places come mostly from fear. From... trauma. From past experiences.”

I said nothing. I didn’t know how to respond to it. 

Michael leaned forward and pushed his forehead against mine. “Tell me who you really are,” he whispered. 

“Like a confessional?” I asked quizzically. 

He moved his head away from mine and continued to run his fingers up and down my arms. “I’m not a priest,” he said softly. “I don’t even know if I believe in God. I mean, if there was a God, why would He allow the Armageddon?”

His fingers slowly caressed down to my chest and they began circling one of my nipples. I felt ticklish from the sensation and my upper body twitched slightly.

“The concept of sin does seem a bit antiquated,” Michael continued, meeting his gaze against mine now. “Rules for keeping the chaos at bay. No need for rules anymore. Chaos has won.”

“I don’t know what you want me to tell you,” I said. “I... don’t know you well enough yet to let you in on anything.”

Michael smirked. “So are you giving your body to me so you don’t have to give me your mind? Is that it?”

I said nothing. 

“Tell me,” he said, looking at me intensely in the eyes. “Yesterday you said it had been a while since you had sex, before me. How long is ‘a while’, exactly? I’m going to assume at least eighteen months, considering the rules here.”

I looked down and twiddled my thumbs. “Oh, even longer. Long before the bombs fell,” I said. “Maybe... I don’t even know. A few years, maybe five. Or more. I can’t even remember, that’s how long it’s been.”

”And was that because you say you usually only feel sexual attraction when you’re feeling a connection to someone?” Michael raised an eyebrow, clearly wanting to know. 

“More or less,” I replied. 

“Why haven’t you allowed yourself a connection, then? Have you pushed people away who tried to get close to you? Did you date much?” Michael cocked his head. 

“Honestly?” I said. “Not really. I mean, there were a few people that I casually dated off and on. I’ve never been in a serious relationship.” 

”Why is that?” Michael asked. He paused for a second and stroked my cheek with his palm. “I’m still sensing fear in you. Even me asking you these questions, you appear to be trembling. What are you afraid of telling me?” 

I didn’t reply.

“I think you’ve lacked such intimacy in your life,” he said, “At first, I have to admit that I was surprised that you were okay with... well, this _arrangement_ we have now.”

“Is that what this is?” I said. “An ‘arrangement’? What does that even mean?”

“Darling,” he said, running his palm along my chin. “I wouldn’t have invited you to my room if I didn’t enjoy this. I would have merely brought you back to the office to continue our interview as before. You still seem very unsure of my intentions.”

“I don’t know if I trust you yet,” I said, being completely honest.

“But... you do, enjoy this, yes?” Michael said. “I know you probably won’t believe me, but I actually _do_ like you. Quite a bit, in fact. You can deny it until you’re blue in the face but I know you feel similarly about me.”

His eyes on me, they looked softer than I had been used to seeing from him so far. His lips parted into an actual smile, something that shocked me. His smile was incredible.

“If I’m being honest?” he said. “Your eyes drew me in, that much is true, but observing you, talking to you, how you hold yourself, is what attracted me most to you. And it still does. I can tell, and could almost instantly yesterday, that you were beautiful on the inside, even though I still maintain that you’re beautiful on the outside.” He leaned in and pecked me on the lips. “Trust me, I see so much in you, even if you don’t see it yourself.”

“Okay, you got me,” I said, laying my head against his chest again and tracing my fingers along his torso. “I _kinda_ like you.” I was trying to keep it as casual as possible, even though the way he was talking made me feel like I was melting inside.

“Then I suppose we’re even then,” he said.  

“How is this going to affect me getting into the Sanctuary?” I asked, wanting to know what had been bugging me deep down. “Is there a reason you’re stalling?”

I heard Michael sniff above me, and I realized he was smelling my hair. “Everything I’m doing serves a purpose,” he said. “I assure you that. I may not be asking you interviewing you directly but, I’m beginning to see a lot of you through... well, let’s just say you’re exposing yourself to me more than just physically.” Michael reached his hands down and caressed my breasts gently. “Although, I do very much enjoy the _physical_ , of course,” he purred.

“It usually takes a lot for me to get naked with someone,” I said honestly. “Consider yourself lucky. I don’t quite get you, Michael Langdon, but I’m... I can’t explain it. I’m drawn to you. Even though I feel like I’m sleeping with the enemy so to speak.”

“Let’s not be adversaries,” he said. “I think I prefer us as lovers rather than fighters.”

We laid in his bed silent for a lengthy amount of time, Michael’s warm body holding me, the whole thing feeling strangely way more intimate than what I had assumed was merely another casual encounter. Something still felt odd about him. Him being able to seemingly read my thoughts was fairly alarming, to say the least. But... there was something else there. 

I still tried to stay disconnected and move myself away from him, but Michael didn’t seem to want to stop touching me. I couldn’t help but notice how he would play with my hair, hold my hand in his, lean in every so often to kiss my lips and other parts of my face, put his arms back around me whenever I would wiggle my way out. At the same time, I didn’t want him to stop. It certainly felt comfortable.  It felt... _right_. 

 

I realized that nearly two hours had passed. I figured I would go to my room and shower before heading downstairs for my lunch duties so the quicker I was out of there, the better.

I sat up and lifted Michael’s arms off me, and flung my feet over the bed, picking my dress, underwear and socks off the floor.

“Leaving so soon?” Michael said in response as he sat up.

“I have to go before my mid day shift,” I said as I slid my panties on. “Besides, don’t you have to start doing your interviews for the day?” 

“Ah, yes,” Michael said, getting out of bed and reaching for his own underwear and pants. “I suppose I do. You’ve made it so easy to forget about my duties here.”

“Should I take that as a compliment?” I said, bra on now and slipping back into the Grey uniform. “Also, I should probably get out of here before anyone goes looking for you and Venable realizes...” 

“I already told you not to worry,” Michael interrupted me as he buttoned his shirt and smoothed his scarf over it. “You act as if I don’t have Venable and Ms. Mead wrapped around my little finger. As I said to you yesterday, I have more authority here than you realize.”

“I doubt that,” I said as I tied my hair into the bun. “Venable rules this place with an iron fist. Her rules against sex are punishable by death. Two Greys were executed two weeks after we first got here for sneaking around like we’re doing. I’m treading dangerous territory with you, you know.”

I didn’t want to admit that the risk of being caught was part of what was making me nervous, not just around him but the entire situation.

Michael slipped into his boots and sat at his computer. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret,” he said. “But I forbid you from telling anyone. Are we clear?”  

“Yes,” I said.

“I interrogated Ms. Venable about this just yesterday,” he said, scanning through his emails. “I was instrumental  in planning the directives of the running of the Outposts. Including the rules and regulations. There were never any rules forbidding sexual contact. As I said, we do have techniques for harvesting genetic material, but I figured it was inevitable that when you’re stuck in a bunker with nothing else to do for an extended period, it was only a matter of time before people began fucking each other’s brains out. I could care less what people do on their own time anyway.” 

“Wait,” I said, slightly confused now. “So you’re saying Venable’s no sex rule is complete _bullshit_?!”

Michael turned and looked at me. “Venable chose to implement this rule here,” he said. “I assure you, none of the other Outposts were following it, as far as I know. She may be in charge normally, but as long as I’m here she will _not_ undermine my authority. Besides...”

He stood up how and approached me slowly. “I _certainly_ did not come here with the intention of having sexual relations with anyone, although I do like the way this has played out. And I know you do too.” He bent down and kissed my lips gently.

“I actually must get some work done now,” he said. “As you said, I’ve got a day full of interviews planned. I’ll be holed up in my office all day so it is probably best you don’t come looking for me.”

I figured it was in my best interest to just leave and not say anything else, so I turned to approach the door. Michael held my arm and pulled me back to him, kissing me again. “Guess I’ll see you around, then,” I said as my lips left his, not really knowing what else to say. I admit, I did feel a little upset.

“Oh no,” he said. “You’ve misunderstood me, my dear Barrie. I do want to see you again. Just it doesn’t look like today will work. I _was_ wondering... how would you feel about spending the night? In my room with me?”

I gulped and felt my face become hot. “Is this your fucked up idea of asking me on an ‘official’ date?” I asked, emanating a laugh from Michael. “When?”

“Tonight, of course,” he said, “Come back here after everyone has turned in for the night. I do wish we didn’t have to continue sneaking around, but despite my authority, who wants to deal with Ms. Venable’s wrath?” Michael looked down at my body. “You may bring your sleeping attire, but at the rate we’re going, I don’t think you’ll be wearing it for too long.” I definitely was blushing now.

“See you tonight, then,” I said, with Michael opening the door and allowing me to finally leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is mention of sexual assault in this chapter! 
> 
> I’m not crazy about this one. I tried to work in more plot from the show, and develop the relationship a bit more. Barrie opens up to Michael and she still doesn’t fully trust him, but yet still finally admits both to him (and herself) that she has feelings for him now. 
> 
> Again, in my headcanon, both of them are feeling similarly; Michael is growing an attachment to her (like we know how he tends to with people who are kind to him... women especially), and despite his evil, he’s drawn to her goodness. This is an idea I got directly from one of Cody Fern’s interviews that he’s constantly surrounding himself with people who are good (either at all or to him) and is giving in to the love he’s lacked. 
> 
> I think what he’s feeling for her is genuine, but he doesn’t quite understand it and also still has an agenda. In the next chapters, I’m going to have her discover his true nature and what that will mean for their developing relationship going forward. 
> 
> Again, I’m not super thrilled with how this rewrite turned out, so I’m going to maybe edit some things later.

The day seemed to drag on. I showered and returned to my daily chores, helping to serve lunch and clean up. I watched as several of the Greys walked to and from Michael’s office upstairs. I saw with Mallory as she was pacing around the kitchen, waiting for someone to come fetch her. 

Someone did come, as we saw the short frame of Ms. Mead appear in the doorway. 

“Mallory”, she beckoned to her. “Your presence is requested”. 

Mallory perked her head up. “Langdon wants to see me now?” She asked. 

“Oh, no”, Ms. Mead responded, her hands at her side. “He hasn’t called for you yet, as far as I know. Miss Saint-Pierre Vanderbilt, however, has requested you bring her some mineral water in a champagne glass. You and only you”. She turned and walked out of the room.

“Ugh”, Mallory said with more than a hint of annoyance in her voice as she grabbed a champagne glass from one of the kitchen cabinets and poured water from a pitcher on the counter into it before setting it on a serving tray. “Guess it’s time for me to bring Coco her afternoon drink”, she said, rolling her eyes.

She picked up the tray and walked toward the doorway of the kitchen, stopping before she reached it as she seemed to be distracted at something.

“Barrie, look!” She whispered to me and nodding her head towards the corridor. “Gallant’s back!”

I stretched my head out and saw the tall, lanky frame of Mr. Gallant’s suede purple suit and bleached blonde hair on his head, walk around the corner and head towards the library.

I gave Mallory a curious look, to which she replied, “Looks like I’m eavesdropping on whatever’s about to go down”, smirking to me.

“Brace yourself and stand tall!” I joked. Mallory laughed and turned to exit the kitchen.

Now on my break, I sat in the kitchen contemplating what I should bring for my stay in Michael’s room that night. I felt like my nervousness should have subsided by now, but prior to yesterday and today, I hadn’t even had sex in a good few years, let alone spent the night at someone’s place after. I couldn’t help but be morbidly curious if the proper “staying over etiquette” applied now that we were in this landscape.

I sat and thought while tapping my fingers on the table before I heard muffled voices coming from the vent on the ceiling above me. The voices became slightly clearer and I heard Mallory, Coco and Dinah Stevens speaking before I realized the library was directly above us. I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, but Coco’s voice being the loudest, I thought I heard her say something about older people having only three TV networks when they were younger and then heard something about dental floss choices and burger options at restaurants.

The voices quieted and I thought I heard footsteps, only to hear Gallant’s voice echo above me. I could clearly understand him so presumably he was standing next to the vent upstairs.

“Surprised to see me breathing, Nana?” I heard him say. I hadn’t realized his grandmother, Evie, was even in the library as well. “They usually shoot people for fucking, or... did you not remember that when you turned me in?

Wait... for _fucking_? Turned him in??

I didn’t hear the rest of the conversation except for Evie and Gallant yelling at each other. Eventually the noise stopped and I carried on with my thoughts until Mallory came back in a half hour later.

“Holy shit”, she sighed as she set the tray down. “You... missed a whole _thing_ upstairs!” 

“I heard parts of it through the vent”, I said, pointing to it directly above us. “What the hell was that all about?”

Mallory sat next to me and pulled her chair close. “So”, she leaned in and whispered, “Gallant stormed out of the room and then came back about ten minutes later when Evie and Dinah left. He told Coco that the reason he was MIA for a while last night and today... apparently, someone in a black rubber latex suit, like a bondage suit, came to his room last night. Dude got laid... I guess”.

“No shit!” I said in surprise.

“Coco said the same thing,” Mallory continued. “Gallant refused to say who it was”.

“So was Gallant... punished for it?” I asked, my voice quivering now.

Mallory nodded. “He’s lucky to be alive”, she said. “Apparently Mead and Venable gave him a fucking whipping”.

I winced at the thought.

“Oh, and that’s not even the half of it!” She said, lowering her voice. “Evie was walking past his room when it happened and heard him and whoever he was with. She’s the one who reported him. His own grandmother”. 

“Holy... fuck...” I said, drawing out each syllable. The thought of Gallant being severely punished made me feel queasy, and even more nervous. I would have to be extra careful about sneaking into Michael’s room that night and even though he insisted nothing would happen, I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. I also thought about what Michael had informed me of earlier, that the other Outposts did not have the same rule forbidding sexual contact of any kind and that it was strictly Venable’s doing. She was clearly power hungry and executing it any way she could to us, and I felt terribly that Gallant had suffered at the hands of a rule that wasn’t even official. 

When we served dinner later, Gallant had taken his usual seat, but before the Greys were dismissed, I couldn’t help but notice that two others were missing. This time, it was Timothy Campbell and Emily, both brought to Outpost 3 about two weeks after the rest of us had been. Both roughly 19 or 20 years old, they were the two youngest Purples, as well as the youngest people in the entire compound. None of us were blind; it was obvious Emily and Timothy had feelings for each other and had been sneaking around for the last year (I noticed them kissing secretly underneath a stairwell one day during one of my shifts, but pretended not to see them, as I would never report. To this day, I don’t know if they even saw me). I hoped though that they hadn’t fallen into the same situation as Gallant. 

Either way, three random disappearances in the span of one day? Something strange was _definitely_ going on.

 

* * *

 

I woke up disoriented in a dark room, and felt my bare skin against the cotton sheets of the bed I was lying in. My eyes took a minute to adjust to the darkness before I realized that the room’s furniture was laid out differently than I was used to. 

Something heavy rested on top of me along with a silky strand draped over my neck, and it took me a second to remember that I had fallen asleep in Michael’s room, in his bed, that I was naked and he was laying with his head on my breasts. The strands were pieces of his long hair strewn across my body as he snored quietly, his breathing at a slow pace and his arm holding me underneath my torso. His other arm laid flat across my chest and his hand dangled at my side. He was shirtless, and the feeling of his bare legs and flaccid cock against my calves indicated to me that he was naked as well.

I stared at the ceiling and tried to replay the events of the evening, and the memories slowly came to me in the dark as I stroked Michael’s silky hair.

Earlier that evening, after having my scare at what had happened to Gallant, I was extra careful to make sure everyone was asleep and no one was roaming the halls as I snuck in through his office and up the spiral staircase to the floor leading to his room. Just before that, I had spent a considerable amount of time stuffing pillows and one of my Grey dresses under the sheets and blankets of my bed, paranoid that someone would come to check on me. I didn’t see any reason that anyone would, but still felt paranoid and didn’t want to take any chances. I needed to create the illusion that I was sleeping and didn’t want to be disturbed. 

 

I arrived at his room successfully; he’d greeted me at the door and I wasn’t inside for maybe more than two minutes before I’d grabbed his scarf and pulled him into me, and began furiously kissing him.  

The exact amount of times we fucked that night, and for how long, was a blur to me. Images replayed in my head of me on my back on top of his desk, the mahogany table wobbling so much at how fast his hips were grinding into me that I thought the legs were going to break underneath us. I remembered lying on my stomach on his bed and him giving it to me from behind, and on a deep thrust, my body had lurched forward and I’d accidentally banged my head on his headboard; this caused us both to burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it. Neither of us finished that one time and we ended up having fairly uneventful, half-assed missionary just to get the job done. Even after that awkwardness, which I was sure Michael would kick me out or want to go to sleep, he still wanted to cuddle. So we did, and it wasn’t long before we were both in the mood again. 

With no time restrictions for once, and having the entire night to ourselves, we were barely able to keep our hands off each other and made the most of it. My comfort levels around him were growing, and I found myself genuinely enjoying being with him. 

I smiled as I replayed the incredible and hot night we had. But then, my eyes began to well up as I remembered something else, something that had occurred before we’d fallen asleep that both shocked me, but also made me see something in Michael. Something that I hadn’t seen before. Something that I hadn’t known he was even capable of. 

Something that also scared me, but faded almost as quickly as it came on.

I had been lying on my back with Michael’s face buried in between my legs, and even amongst my own pleasure, I looked down to see him stroking himself. I sat up and decided to extend my arm towards him, placing my palm around his fingers and helping him get a steady rhythm. He seemed to be taken aback by it, as he suddenly stopped and pulled his mouth away. It was such a simple act that I hadn’t even considered it, but Michael seemingly was enthralled with my hand gripped around his cock. He threw his head back and began panting heavily, biting his lower lip.

“You like that?” I asked, almost oddly surprised. 

“Fuck, yes, Barrie please, don’t fucking stop!!”, he panted, and then without warning, his face turned white and his eyes blackened, as I had thought it had briefly the day before, but it passed as quickly as it had before his eyes turned back and his face returned to his normal color. Legitimately freaked out by this, I stopped stroking abruptly and moved back on the bed, mouth open and fear sweeping over me. 

Michael looked almost angry and his lips turned downwards. “You can’t leave me like this!” He hissed. “I want you to use your _mouth_ this time!”

I froze. Michael and I hadn’t really talked about boundaries and I hadn’t performed on him yet despite that he had done it to me on several occasions. He didn’t know about my history... and I wasn’t planning on telling him. Especially not now.

“I...”, I stammered. “I... I don’t think I can...”

“Yes, you can”, Michael said, pushing me back down on the bed and kneeling over me, hovering his cock over my face. “You’re such a _dirty_ girl... _my_ dirty girl... and you’ve done everything else I never imagined you could”.

“Michael, please, stop”... I protested. He held his cock in his hand and brushed the tip against my lips. It didn’t get any farther than that - I burst into tears and Michael became startled this time, the look on his face turning from angry lust to one of genuine concern.

He pulled his body away from me quickly and sat on the edge of the bed, his jaw dropped as I sat up and pulled myself into a fetal position and cried into my knees. Michael crawled over to me and reached his hand out, cupping my cheek in it and running his other hand down my back.

“Barrie”, he whispered. “I... I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry. Whatever I did, I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I had no idea you would react that way.” His voice was quivering and he sounded genuinely upset. I looked up at him, and he reached out to wipe his thumb underneath my eyes. My eyes darted downward and I noticed he was losing his erection now, but he didn’t seem to care.

“No”, I said. “I... should have told you. I have one boundary. I should have said. I..”

His lips shifted as he looked even more upset. He seemed to be finally realizing not only what he had done, but why I had reacted the way I had.

“I sensed this”, he said, sliding up next to me and wrapped one arm around my shoulders. “Your dark place. Your trauma. Your shame. Why you keep yourself hidden. Shut off. Why you’re afraid...” he whispered now. “I wasn’t sure at first. But now it seems clear. Tell me”.

I stammered and it all came pouring out like a dam bursting. The story of how at age 20, I was at a house party and cornered against the wall by two drunk guys who both forced their dicks inside my mouth one after the other, until I managed to push them off me. How I was beaten and groped by some neighborhood kids when I was 9 years old. How I was followed by a man and pushed against the wall of a video store a year after that party, who grabbed and groped me until someone saw him and called the police. How these three incidents caused me to have major trust issues in my romantic relationships and shut myself off from feeling any real emotional intimacy and how it took a lot for me to even find someone I was willing to have sex with. How I realized I could rarely even do that unless I felt something... a _connection_.

Michael listened sympathetically and held me against him. He genuinely looked upset and remorseful. His face lit up and his mouth turned into a soft smile though, when I said I needed to feel a connection with someone before I had sex with them. “You feel it?” He said. “With me?”

I paused and nuzzled into his torso. “I can’t explain it”, I said, admitting to myself as well as him what I had been feeling. “I just feel something with you. I don’t know what it is yet, and it sounds crazy. I’ve only known you a couple of days. And I know you aren’t staying here. For all I know you’ll be done with me and leave me to die when you’re finished here and make your decisions for the Sanctuary”...

“I already have made _one_ decision”, he said softly, kissing the top of my head. “The fact that you somehow still think I’m leaving here without you is rather hilarious. I would have guessed it was obvious by now”. 

I became silent again. “I passed?” I asked him, and both a wave of relief and an equally strange feeling came over me.

“I’m not looking for someone unblemished. Not pure lily white”, he said. “I knew you had some darkness, and I knew it was fear based. But it seems with me, you’re slowly coming over that hurdle. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. And what can I say? I’ve always found myself drawn to strong women. I told you I saw something in you from our first meeting. I feel something. I’m not the average man; carnal desires and pleasures of the flesh mean very little to me and appeal to me even less. I so rarely choose to get physical with someone unless there’s something that draws me to that person. The truth is, I’ve only ever truly loved one woman in my life, and I lost her”.

“Oh? One woman?” I said curiously. I didn’t want to feel possessive of him, all things considered, but Michael clearly knew already.

He laughed softly. “You’re jealous!” He said, shooting me that half smile. “I merely mentioned having another woman in my life at some point and you feel _competition_! Well, for your information and I’m sure to your delight, the woman I’m referring to was more of a mother figure to me than anything else.”

I felt another wave of relief.

“Tell me about her”, I said, leaning down and laying my head against Michael’s chest. I shivered and he pulled the covers up over us as he spoke. “Oh, and I’m sorry I killed the mood”, I joked. “For the second time tonight, after the headboard thing”. 

“Not at all, darling”, he said with a laugh. “She was the closest person I ever had to a mother”, he continued. “To this day, I don’t know how she found me”.

“What about your birth parents? Who did you live with before?” I asked, curious to know as much as I could about this man and surprised he was opening up to me like this.

Michael sighed. “I can’t say much”, he said finally after a long pause. “My father abandoned me. My mother tried to kill me. I was raised by my grandmother, who was afraid of me. She killed herself to get away from me”. I could hear his voice quivering now and looked at him. Tears filled his eyes as he stared off into space.

“Oh, Michael”, I said, cuddling into him. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am”.

“The woman who found me”, he continued. “She made me feel happy and protected. I was glad to finally have found a real home”.

Michael then lamented and told me a story he remembered from his youth with his adoptive mother. They were sitting down to breakfast and she had prepared French toast for them both. She had told him her first husband loved French toast as much as Michael did, which was why it was so easy to poison him, and cracked a joke about killing not just her first husband but her first three husbands. Michael asked if she was going to poison him, and she had responded that she wouldn’t if he cleaned his room. She also had given him a piece of advice regarding the comment about killing her husbands:

“You might as well learn this now. If something isn’t working, it’s best to just cut the cord. And make sure the insurance policy is up to date!” 

He was laughing as he told the story, saying that he had exclaimed to her “That’s evil!” and her response was “Hell yeah! I’m a devil mama!”

He laughed harder at the last comment, and I did too, but something inside me told me I shouldn’t be laughing. 

 

When Michael finished his story, he pulled me down into the pillow with him. “I just remembered I have something I need to attend to shortly”, he said.

“It’s so late though”, I said, surprised. 

“I’ll stay here until you fall asleep if you want me to, before I go to my errand.” Michael turned my head to face him so we were making eye contact. “Also, from now on, I won’t assume anything of you. Full consent for everything we do physically from here on out, and full communication with it. I promise you that”.  

“How are you real, Michael?” I said to him. “ _Who_ are you? You aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met”.

“No, I’m probably not”, Michael replied, kissing me on the forehead. “I can assure you of that. But that’s why you’ve grown to care for me, isn’t it?”

I swallowed hard at the words he spoke.

“I have”, I said. “It doesn’t make sense”.

“And I’ve come to care about you too”, he said, “Which is why I want you for the Sanctuary. It’s purely selfish at this point, but you’re someone I want not for the good of society, but for me”.

“I still don’t understand why me”, I said, running my hand along Michael’s bicep. “I feel like I’m not enough for you.” 

“Don’t doubt yourself”, he said softly in my ear. “I’ve been abandoned and used by people in my life. You aren’t like the others. I can see that in you. I can see you genuinely care. That’s what’s so endearing to me. And trust me, if I didn’t take solace in the fact that they’re likely already dead, I would destroy all those people who ever hurt you or laid a hand on you. I can understand why you may think so lowly of yourself - you’ve been purposely hurt and taken advantage of. You never deserved any of that. I’m going to continue to treat you like you deserve to be, like the amazing person you are, and you deserve to know it”. 

I felt my eyes welling up and didn’t know how to reply. 

Michael leaned in, kissed my eyelids and wiped under my eyes as he pulled the covers tighter over me and blew the candles out. “Just sleep now, my dear  Barrie”, he whispered. I rolled over on my side and Michael crept up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my shoulder.

“I could say the same for you”, he whispered in my ear as I tried to sleep.

“Huh?” I asked, my eyes starting flutter shut.

“Not understanding why you’re attracted to me.” He said quietly, slowly placing soft kisses on the back of my neck just below my hairline. “I’ve done terrible things. _Evil_ things.”

“You seem fine”, I said in my half asleep state. Part of me knew he didn’t seem fine, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to admit to myself that something still felt off and unexaplainable about him. Michael brushed his lips down my shoulder and I heard him whisper “Why are you so good to me?” before I fell asleep.

 

Laying in bed with him now, I remembered that entire evening. He stirred in his sleep and I stared completely in awe of this beautiful man laying on top of me. It still didn’t feel real what was happening. I couldn’t begin to explain how I was feeling as his body laid over me.

I started to fall asleep again when I remembered that Michael had said he had an “errand” to run earlier in the evening as I had fallen asleep the first time. I wasn’t sure if he had actually done it, since he was now fast asleep.

 

It was then that outside of his room, I heard the faint sounds of screaming, First from a woman, then a man...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Worked in more of the plot of the show in here, but this is mostly a filler chapter. I had a few parts I had cut out because I didn’t want it to be *too* smutty and wanted to actually work a story in.
> 
> In the show they didn’t actually specify how long Michael had stayed in the Outpost for. In my mind it was at least a week, so I’m trying to drag it out as long as possible before Halloween night when the witches arrive. (I’m assuming most people reading this have seen it so this isn’t a spoiler; if you haven’t, I’m sorry!!) 
> 
> In case y’all are curious, yes, I am developing Barrie’s friendship with Mallory as much as I am her relationship with Michael, because it’s important to how the story is going to play out in the end for me. Again, I’m doing the best I can by starting from scratch so if anyone is actually reading this, please be patient!
> 
> I feel slightly intimidated because so many other fics I read on here are so much more well written than mine, and it’s a daunting task to live up to my personal expectations. I’m doing my best and editing as I go along.
> 
> Also; Michael is starting to show his want for companionship more, which in my head based on the character profile and his attachment issues. He feels he has no time to waste and is moving fast because he’s used to everything happening fast in his life. He seems very much an all or nothing type of character, so despite the realistic unhealthy-ness of this kind of relationship, it fits very much in line with his character in my head. If it feels out of character, let me know what you think! 
> 
> Double also: in my previous version of this story, I also had her discover the mark of the beast behind his ear, since it’s something I feel like I rarely see in the fics I’ve read, but I’ve expanded it so it’s a tease at first before we dive in.

“Up!” Michael’s oddly cheery voice jolted me awake, yanking the covers off me. I turned my head and squinted, seeing him standing over me. He was still shirtless but was wearing pants now. 

“Leave me alone, Michael!” I groaned as I pulled the covers back over my naked body and threw a pillow over my head. 

I felt the weight of Michael’s body sit on the bed next to me as he pulled the pillow off. “Correct me if I’m wrong,” he said, “But you _did_ say to wake you so you could be up in time for your morning duties.” He leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead before laying on his side facing me, brushing my hair out of my face. 

“Oh. Right,” I mumbled, remembering now that I had indeed had asked him. “I probably should have also told you that I’m not a morning person.”

“Clearly,” Michael laughed. “But I could still get used to waking up to this again. Grumpy in the morning or not.”

“Huh?” I said, confused now. 

“I was thinking,” he said as I forced myself to sit up finally. “That I would very much like it if you stayed in my room for the duration of my time here, however long that ends up being.”

“You know,” I said in my half asleep stupor, “If the world hadn’t been blown to hell and the circumstances were different, I would think you were completely insane for more or less asking me to move in with you after three days.” 

Michael laughed again, loudly this time.

“And I’m honestly surprised you want me to,” I said. “Considering, you know, after I made things awkward twice last night.”

“I don’t like to waste time,” he said, “And frankly, I would simply enjoy your company, even when I’m working. Also, you did nothing of the sort. I assure you. I wouldn’t ask you to stay if I felt you had made me uncomfortable now, would I?” 

I had to admit, he did have a point.

“Can I think about it at least?” I asked, finally throwing my legs off the bed and standing up. “Like, give me another day to sit on it.”

“As you wish,” he said, eyeing me as I went to reach for my clothes on the floor. “Its a pity you need to put those things on; I do think I prefer you in nothing at all.” I turned to see him licking his lips as I put on my panties and bra. 

“At least _you_ have dapper outfits to change into,” I said as I stepped into the Grey dress from the bottom. 

“I actually did email the Cooperative earlier,” Michael said as he stood up and slipped his arms into a black dress shirt that had been placed on his desk. “I realize it may be a futile attempt since my stay here is only temporary, but I’m going to see if there is any way they can change your status to a Purple, even if it’s only for a few more days before I make my other selections and we leave here. They’ve yet to respond to my inquiry.”

“Really, that’s not necessary,” I said as I sat on the end of his bed and tied my shoes.

“Barrie, darling,” he said as he smoothed a black vest over his shirt. “You would no longer need to be a servant here. And you would have much better clothing.”

“That’s very sweet of you to try,” I said, tying my hair into the awful bun I had unfortunately become accustomed to. “But I don’t mind these clothes anymore and I’m also used to the labor. It’s shitty, but it is what it is. To be honest, I don’t even think those Purple dresses look all that comfortable and being in a corset frightens me. I prefer undergarments that don’t cut off my circulation.”

Michael was standing in front of his full length mirror, smoothing the fabric of the jacket he had just put on. “You could just wear no underwear at all,” he said, as I saw his smirk reflected in the mirror. “I _certainly_ wouldn’t mind that.”

“You’re in a _mood_ today,” I said playfully, approaching him slowly. He turned and pulled me into him, holding my face in his hands as he kissed me.

“I can’t help if I would much rather spend the day in bed with you,” he whispered in my ear.

“So let’s play hooky,” I said. “I’ll call out sick and stay here.”

“I’m quite tempted,” he said, his hands resting on my hips. “But I do need to get a lot of work done today, and several interviews. I’m already a day behind in my work. You’ve been quite a distraction, I do have to say. Usually it’s in my nature to...” he leaned in, “ _punish_ those who keep me from doing what I have to...” He emphasized the word “punish” and I felt a lump in my throat. “But you’re the exception to the rule. Unless of course, that’s something you _want_...” His voice lowered a bit more than it already was, and as much as I wanted to give in to him, I knew I couldn’t stay much longer. 

“Maybe we should discuss this later,” I said. “I really should go. I need to head downstairs. Oh,” I added, “Did you ever run your errand last night?”

Michael shot me his infamous half-smile. “I did, yes,”, he said. “Shortly after you fell asleep. It didn’t take too long, I think I joined you back in bed maybe less than hour later.”

“Hey,” I said. “I also wanted to ask you. I woke up in the middle of the night I think, and I thought I heard screams come from the hallway. Did you hear anything?”

Michael took a step backwards, his face suddenly turning completely expressionless. “No,” he said flatly. “Maybe you were dreaming.”

“I guess I was,” I said, watching as Michael turned and had already sat down at his computer. 

I wanted to ask him if we had planned on seeing each other again that day, but I suddenly heard noises coming from the hallway outside Michael’s door. It sounded like a huge commotion... and I definitely heard more screams.

“Shit,” I said, turning to Michael, “I should probably go see what that is.”

“Do what you need to,” he replied, not breaking his gaze from the computer screen. “I’ll come find you later.”

I went downstairs through the opposite hallway and followed the noise to the main hall. A couple of the other Greys, including Mallory, were standing on the stairs looking out at the scene below - Ms. Venable, Ms. Mead, a male security guard and the large guard woman that we had come to know as “The Fist” were standing holding Emily and Timothy in front of them. I looked closely and saw that Timothy was wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts; Emily was wearing her slip.

I walked down the stairs slowly and stood behind Mallory. I tapped her on the shoulder; “What the fuck is going on?” I whispered. 

Mallory turned her head and whispered back. “I was heading to the kitchen and saw Ms. Mead and The Fist storming towards Emily’s room,” she said. “They dragged her and Timothy out and they were both in their underwear as they are now. I think... I think they _finally_ had sex!”

“I would say that’s obvious,” I whispered, now feeling extremely anxious for the two of them. They had always been so kind to me and the other Greys, and I felt sick to to my stomach knowing what was coming to them. 

“This is extremely disappointing,” Ms. Venable spoke to them below us. “You know what has to happen now.”

“Nothing has to happen, _because_ _we_ _haven’t_ _done_ _anything_ _wrong_!!” Timothy spat back at her.

“I explained the rules when you arrived...” Venable started to say.

“Those were _your_ rules!” Emily interrupted. “The Cooperative doesn’t care if we have sex!”

Ms. Venable stared at the both of them with cold, icy eyes. “Who told you that?” She demanded to know. “Langdon?”

“He has a goddamn _laptop_ in his room!” shouted Timothy angrily, stepping forward at Ms. Venable. “You have been making all these _bullshit_ rules up!”

“You’re... _sick_ ,” Emily said to her. 

Ms. Venable turned and nodded at The Fist, who stepped forward and slapped Emily across the face with the back of her hand, apparently so hard that Emily nearly fell backwards. The Fist then grabbed her by the hair while the male security guard grabbed Timothy and held his hands behind his back. 

“The world is strewn with the unburied corpses of seven billion people and all you can think about is _fornication_! And _I’m_ the sick one?!” Venable shouted back at them. Even from my position at the top of the stairs, I could clearly see that the sadistic woman didn’t have a hint of remorse on her face.

“Get them out of here,” she said to The Fist and the other guard. “Their punishment can’t come soon enough.”

“No! Please! Don’t!!” Emily pleaded as The Fist, Ms. Mead and the other guard dragged her and Timothy away. I could hear her still crying out for help as they disappeared into the hallway, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes and a knot forming in my stomach. 

None of us knew what to do, or say, still standing there in shock. Ms. Venable stood below us, and banged her cane down hard on the floor - this was her usual signal to us to leave the room immediately and go back to whatever it was we were doing, and clearly indicated that she knew we had been watching this entire debacle the whole time.

I grabbed Mallory by the arm as we walked up the stairs. “We have to do something!!” I said to her as quietly as I could.

“What can we do, though?!” she said to me, tears forming in her own eyes now. “You remember what happened to Daniel and Holly almost two years ago,” she continued, referring to the two Greys who had been caught having a secret affair, much like Timothy and Emily, taken by The Fist and Ms. Mead, and never to be seen again. It was clear to everyone that they had been killed. “It’s just so fucking horrible and unfair,” Mallory said, her voice quivering before she ran off, clearly equally as upset as I was.

I began breathing heavily and heard my name called out, looking up to see Michael beckoning for me to come to him from the opposite side of the hall.

I ran to him and we both looked around quickly before ducking into his room and shutting the door behind us.

“Michael, you have to do _something!_ ” I yelled at him, tears streaming down my face now. “You told me the rules were bullshit! You’re in charge... they must have snuck into your room and read your emails... they know...” 

“Yes, I heard everything,” he said, running his hands down my shoulders and pulling me into him for a close hug. I was sort of surprised to see him comforting me. “Don’t worry. I promise you I will take care of it. The rules are bullshit, no doubt about it, and clearly my conversation with Ms. Venable two days ago wasn’t enough. Besides, I need to speak to everyone that I can here as long as they’re alive; humanity is on the brink of failure and I understand those two in particular were chosen for the Outpost due to their DNA being absolutely perfect. They’re more than viable candidates. I will make absolutely certain Ms. Venable rescinds their punishments.”

Michael wiped my tears away and kissed my lips gently. “Go to your usual posting,” he said as he pulled his face away. “I need to take care of this.”

He reached and opened the door to let me step out and we parted ways.

I began to head downstairs towards the kitchen when I ran into Mallory again, who was now standing frozen in the hall; her mouth was open and she looked completely in shock. She was standing over a very distraught looking Gallant, who was sitting on the floor outside the library holding his head in his hands. His face and shirt were covered in some kind of red substance. Was it blood? It had to have been blood...

“Oh my god, what happened to you?!” I heard Coco shout as she entered the room and approached her friend on the floor. 

“My... my N-nana,” Gallant stammered. “Last night. She’s... she’s dead! And... I _killed_ her!”

And I remembered the screams I had heard from outside Michael’s room early that morning...

 

* * *

 

The entire Outpost was eerily quiet for the rest of the morning, extending well into the afternoon. The Fist and the other security guard had returned now, and although Ms. Mead was nowhere to be found for some time, I was both shocked and relieved to see Emily and Timothy eventually come back into the main foyer. Mallory, myself, and a few of the other Greys watched as The Fist and the other guards, clad in their radiation suits, removed Evie’s body from her room and carried it down the hall to the elevator thatlead to the toxic air of the outside world.

Nobody spoke to each other for a good while. I spotted Dinah and her son Andre pacing back and forth in the library, both completely silent; Coco had joined Gallant in his room, presumably to comfort him. Timothy and Emily went to their respective rooms separately, and I watched from a corner as Michael came downstairs and summoned Ms. Venable into his office, spotting me and shooting me a half smile over Venable’s shoulder as she entered and the doors behind her slid shut. It sounded like they had begun arguing when Ms. Mead finally appeared behind me and Mallory as we were about to start our break.

“Go clean up the mess in Ms. Gallant’s room,” she ordered. “Return to your normal duties after that, just get that room spotless. No break today.”

“Of fucking course we have to clean that,” Mallory groaned. Ms. Mead, looking strangely solemn, fixed her eyes us and the other two Greys she had ordered to clean and leaned forward.

“Alright, _fine_ ,” she said, her voice sounding frustrated. “Get it all cleaned and straightened out, and then you’re all dismissed until dinner. Just this one time. Extenuating circumstances and all.”

I had never been too bothered by the sight of blood, so the mess itself wasn’t an issue for me as we spent a good hour mopping and scrubbing the floor and walls, and threw out the bedsheets. However, I couldn’t get the image of Gallant sitting on the floor looking disturbed, and the thought of Evie dying in the room while she slept triggered my anxiety. I felt myself starting to sweat heavily and my breathing increased, a heavy weight forming in my stomach. As we finally finished up, I excused myself early and ran straight towards my room. I took a shortcut and went past Michael’s office, noticing both him and Ms. Venable exiting but feeling too physically nauseous to acknowledge either of them.

I made it to my room, slammed the door shut behind me and sat on the floor next to my bed in a fetal position, trying to remember my breathing techniques for anxiety attacks when I heard a loud knock on the door.

“C-come in,” I stammered, assuming it to be Ms. Venable about to scold me for something since I had sped past her, but to my surprise Michael was standing on the other side as it opened. He shut the door as quickly as he opened it, came over and sat on the floor next to me, holding my head into his chest.

“Shhh, you’re okay,” he said softly, catching me by surprise as here he was comforting me for the second time today.

“Evie...” I stammered, “She’s dead... we had to clean up the mess... I think Gallant killed her...” 

“She died peacefully in her sleep,” Michael said quietly in my ear. “Or that’s the story they seem to be going with around here, according to Ms. Venable. I wouldn’t give it a second thought. And you have nothing to worry about or be afraid of. Trust me.” He leaned in and kissed the top of my head.

Michael’s arms and soothing voice helped me to calm myself down. He eventually began kissing me, and out of nowhere picked me up by my legs and carried me to my bed.

“You’re way more chivalrous then you let on,” I said to him as he climbed on top of the covered bed and turned to face me.

“I have my moments,”!he said, smiling wide for only the second time I had seen him do so in the last few days. “Let me help you relax.”

He leaned down and we kissed for what seemed like long time, a very intense make out session but nothing too sexual beyond him groping my chest through my clothes. I eventually, my brain on autopilot, went to grab his crotch, only to have Michael pull my hand away.

“No,” he said flatly. “Not now.”

“You _did_ say I need to relax,”!I said, smirking at him for once.

“Hmm. That’s true, yes,” he said, and I felt his hand reach down and slip under the skirt of my dress, caressing my calves and working his fingers up towards my thighs, stroking them lightly as I felt the cold press of his rings against my skin. “But I do need to get back to work. I don’t like to rush things as I think you know by now. Come to my room and stay later on and we’ll have the whole night to ourselves again. In the morning you can decide if you want to make that stay permanent for the rest of my time here. However...” he said as he glided his fingers underneath me, “I would love to at least do _one_ thing for you in the meantime, though, since clearly you’re in the mood for it.”

Michael leaned in to kiss my neck and under my ears as his hand guided over the crotch of my panties. My legs clenched together and I moaned softly as he slipped one finger under the fabric and slid it into me. Another found my clit and pressed small circles against it. It wasn’t long before he apparently changed his mind as to what he wanted to do; he removed his fingers and I felt him sliding my panties off, tossing them on the floor. He lifted himself off the bed and threw the skirt of my dress up, spreading my legs as he positioned himself in front of me and bent his head down.

He had barely gotten started when I heard a repeated thumping on the door.

“Barrie! Are you okay?” I heard Mallory’s voice echo through the wall. 

“SHIT!” I said under my breath as Michael lifted his head back up.

“Hide, goddammit!” I hissed at him through gritted teeth. Michael didn’t say anything, but looked slightly distressed as he made his way towards my bathroom and closed the door behind him.

“Just a second, Mallory!” I yelled out to her, jumping off the bed and nearly forgetting to grab my panties off the floor. I quickly put them back on as I composed myself. I did a quick look into my wall mirror to fix my hair, which the Grey bun had come out when I was making out with Michael. “Okay, I’m good,” I called out and she opened the door. 

“Hey, I was just checking up on you,” she said as she walked towards me. “You ran out of Evie’s room quickly and you looked upset. I would have come sooner but I got stuck putting the cleaning supplies away in the storage closet downstairs after we finished in there.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, trying not to pant too hard and hide the fact that I was still fairly aroused from Michael touching me. “I had a bit of a panic attack from cleaning up in there. Just thinking about it all.”

“Oh, I totally understand,” Mallory responded. “You good now?”

“Definitely,” I said.

Mallory looked around the room. “Is there someone else in here?” She asked. “I thought I heard you talking to someone when I approached the room.”

I froze. “Nope, just me,” I said, beads of sweat forming on the back of my neck.

Mallory shrugged. “Huh,” she said. “Maybe I’m hearing things. Well, as long as you’re okay. Oh, and Ms. Venable told me that Langdon gave her a list of the last round of interviews he wants to finish up. He’s finally seeing me tomorrow, I guess.”

“Good, finally,” I said. “I hope it goes well.”

“Thanks. I hope so too,” she said with a sigh. “I’m nervous about it still, but I know you had said he made it easy for you to talk to him so that’s making me feel a lot less stressed out over it.”

“Yeah,” I said. “He’s not so bad.”

“I trust your judgment,” she said. “Anyways, see you in a bit for dinner.” She turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

“I would hope your opinion of me is actually greater than simply saying I’m ‘not so bad’, hmm?” I heard Michael’s voice directly behind me and saw his hands wrapping around my waist below me. I hadn’t even heard him open the door to come out of the bathroom...

“How did you sneak out of there so fast?!” I asked him as he buried his head into the crook of my shoulder. “And what was I supposed to say? That I’ve secretly been spending time with you outside of the interviews and you’ve been giving me mind-blowing orgasms?” 

“Something like that would have been sufficient,” he purred into my ear. “In all seriousness,” he continued, “I do have some news. After some nudging to Ms. Venable, I convinced her to not only pardon your little friends and Gallant, but I managed to convince her that young people’s raging hormones are not going to subside. She agreed to bend on the no sexual contact rule.”

“Seriously?!” I asked, turning around to face him.

“I told you I would take care of it,” he said. “I couldn’t let two minor infractions get in the way of possibly selecting viable candidates, since I’ve been charged with planting the seeds to which humanity will blossom. The stakes are too high. I also did manage to convince her of it from the procreation angle. So technically speaking, my dear Barrie,” he said as he ran the backs of his fingers against my cheek, “We don’t need to sneak around anymore.”

“Well, it’s fantastic to know I won’t be killed because I’m sleeping with you,” I said as I rubbed my hands up his forearms. “But still, wouldn’t everyone else find it strange that... well... whatever the fuck is going on with us is going on?” I actually had no idea how to put into words the exact situation we had gotten into.

“You worry far too much,” he said, pulling me in for a kiss. Michael was so much taller than me, even more so in his heeled boots, so I had us sit back on the edge of the bed, since standing on my tiptoes to kiss him standing up was getting on my nerves. I leaned forward into him and caressed his face with my hands, working my fingers through his long hair and began slowly running them behind his ears. His hair was still messy from earlier, but he didn’t seem to care and moaned in enjoyment when I touched it. It was then that I felt something directly underneath the back of his right ear, something that felt like three small raised bumps. I hadn’t touched him behind his ears before so I had never noticed this.

“What’s this?” I asked, pulling my face away and tracing my fingers over the bumps. Michael’s face suddenly morphed into a cold stare.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he said quickly, pulling my hand away. “It’s best you just leave that be.”

“Suit yourself,” I said going in to kiss him again.

“I really must be going now,” Michael said, returning the kiss but not in a serious way. “Join me again later tonight?”

“You already knew I was going to,” I said, “... though you still owe me from when we were interrupted before.”

“I’m fully at your service, darling,” Michael replied, standing up and extending his hand to me. He took it and led me to the door, allowing me to step out in front of him. When I went to walk away from him, he wouldn’t let go of my hand, instead leading me down the hall as he laced his fingers through mine and slipped his arm under my own.

It wasn’t the first time he had held my hand, but having him do it in the open hallways of the Outpost? 

“Hey!” I hissed at him under my breath, “I don’t... this isn’t a good idea...”

“And why not?” He asked, looking down at me and raising an eyebrow. “What are you afraid of?”

“I... don’t know...” I said, feeling my palm become sweaty inside his. “It’s not even just everyone possibly finding out, but it feels like... it feels like more than just...”

“More intimate?” Michael said, still keeping an eyebrow raised. 

“Well, yes,” I admitted. “This just feels... different than what I thought.”

“I think you should stop worrying so much, as I said before,” Michael replied, moving in to me slowly and leaning down to kiss my neck as we reached his office. “It’s not as if I’m fucking you against the wall for everyone to see,” he said, almost loud enough to echo throughout the room. “I would rather save that for later when we’re alone.”

“You’re such a fucking _tease_ , I said to him, pulling him away from my neck. He smirked, and simply went into his office without saying goodbye.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving right along with the plot, some of the show is followed now. Also working on the friendship development here, and we’re slowly working up to revealing Michael’s true nature and eventual agenda. 
> 
> Also, their relationship is becoming more serious and yes - I know realistically this would be a probably super unhealthy one moving so fast, but it is just a story, and also, I’m still going with the headcanon that Michael only knows how to move fast in life because that’s all he’s known how to do.

 

 

The white face and blackened eyes appeared that night.I couldn’t have been imagining it anymore.

It came and disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, once again, not allowing me time mentally process it or instill any kind of fear in me. I was distracted, as I usually was, by Michael’s touch, his large hands and slender fingers working some sort of magic over me I couldn’t explain. Distracted by his skin against my own, and also by the words that came out of his mouth just seconds before.

My back arched to the wall of his room, adjacent next to the bed and close to the door. His left hand pinning my right arm against the cold surface to hold me in place; the fingers of his other hand digging into my ass for support. My leg perched up and wrapped around his waist as he thrusted into me, pushing me up and down against the wall. He was grunting in pleasure and so was I, holding his head by the back of his neck. He leaned in to allow his lips to press against mine as he slid himself in and out of my wetness at a fast pace. I grabbed a clump of his long blonde strands and yanked hard, which caused his breathing to deepen and his mouth to pull away from me with a jolt, his eyes never leaving my gaze.

It felt different than usual, as I had gotten used to Michael asking me to beg or some other kind of dirty talk to take place, but he had been silent for the duration of time since the first kiss we shared earlier that evening when he had closed his laptop for the night. That changed suddenly when his mouth pulled away, and he pressed his forehead against mine as he continued to thrust into me. 

“You’re _mine_ ”, he hissed at me, almost angrily. “You’re fucking mine and only mine, Barrie! And I am yours, body and _fucking_ soul. Now that I have you, I’m never gonna let you go! You belong to me, always and forever!”

It was then that the pale white sheen spread over his face and his beautiful blue eyes turned to pitch black, only for his face to return to normal as I climaxed against him. He thrusted a couple more times before biting his lower lip and quickly pulling himself out, shooting his cum on the floor and hitting my bare feet with some of it.

When we both had settled from our highs, he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me down onto the bed with him.

I was stunned and didn’t know what to say, simply lying on my back and stared up at the ceiling.

“Is everything okay?” He turned his head and asked, clearly noticing my distress.

“Wh-what was that about?” I stammered, allowing Michael to roll himself up next to me and slide his arms around my small body. “That ‘always and forever’? Was that your orgasm talking?” 

“Oh,” Michael said in response, looking slightly alarmed. “Um. Yes. That’s all it was. I got carried away. But I won’t lie - I don’t know if I understand it but I know you feel it as well, and I can’t explain how I feel when I’m with you.”

“Your face”, I said, finally trying to address it. “A few times now... it’s turned white...” 

“You’re imagining things, darling”, Michael interrupted, “Trust me. You have nothing to be afraid of”.

He reached an arm out and began stroking my sides gently, positioning himself on his back against the pillows as I stared down at him. “I’m not afraid of you”, I assured him. “I just... there’s so much I don’t know about you. Who even are you? I want to know more about you, that’s all”.

“In due time”, he said, “I will tell you anything you want to know. But, you can’t deny there’s something between us. I’m working on finalizing the rest of my interviews and with any luck, I should be finished by the end of the week. I’ll make my decisions and then we can leave here together, with or without the others. But you’re the only one here that matters to me, if I’m being completely honest”. 

I laid back against the pillow as Michael turned to face me. “Everyone in my life that I’ve cared for has either left me or betrayed me in some way”, he continued as he took my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of my palm softly. “I know when I see something that I think is good for me, I don’t let it go. When I see something I like, I stay with it. You’re not getting away from me that easily, you know”.

“I think what scares me most”, I said, leaning in and running my fingers lightly down his torso. “Is how much I’m starting to care about you. Considering how little I know”. 

“Don’t question anything”, Michael responded, “Just let’s enjoy our time while we have it and go from there. I promise you I will reveal more about myself when you’re ready to know”.

“You’re so cryptic and you don’t make sense a lot of the time,” I said. 

“I have to be for many reasons”, he said, leaning forward to brush his lips against mine. “It’s better off you don’t know much about me yet. I would love to tell you everything but I need for you to trust me. I’ve grown so fond of you, and I certainly didn’t plan on this”. 

“I definitely didn’t plan on a stranger coming in out of nowhere and seducing me, but here we are I guess”, I said as I leaned forward and laid my head on Michael’s chest. “I’ll stay here, by the way”, I said as I snuggled into him. “In your room, until whenever we get out of here”. 

“I already knew you had decided you would”, he said with a smirk. “You can’t resist my charm”.

“Oh, fuck off”, I said as I playfully smacked him in the chest.

“Is that your way of saying you’re ready for round two?” Michael said with a raise of an eyebrow as he kissed me, two of his fingers trailing down my stomach before settling themselves between my legs. 

 

* * *

 

Michael repeatedly assured me that if I was caught coming in and out of his room, he would take care of it as he had with Emily, Timothy and Gallant. Despite Ms. Venable still mostly in charge, Michael had certainly was confident and demanding in his position as a representative of the Cooperative to override her rules. My body and brain were equally filled with so many emotions; I was feeling something for him.It was all happening so fast; I still didn’t know much about who he was, and was also partially scared to address the white face and black eyes that I knew couldn’t have been my imagination.

It felt far too surreal that any of this could be happening. I told myself not to overthink it and just let things be. In the previous world, I overthought everything and my romantic life lacked and suffered from my insecurities. I knew damn well that if this were the old world, a man like Michael wouldn’t give someone like me a second look. None of this felt real. I let it go in my head, but secretly was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Mallory and I were stationed in the foyer near Michael’s office that morning, and I watched as a line of people entered and exited. First Timothy, then Gallant (whom Michael had told me needed a follow up interview), followed by Coco, Dinah and Andre. It seemed like he was looking to finish up the interviews and begin his next task of making selections.

We finished our morning chores and went into the kitchen to prepare for lunch. As I placed dishes and silverware on the cart, I heard the loud echo of Michael’s boots approaching the door from the hallway. He walked in and stood before Mallory and myself.

“I’ve come to fetch my lunch cube”, he said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye but keeping his facial expressions as still as possible.

“We were going to send it up to you when the the rest went out for the others, Sir”, Mallory said nervously.

“That isn’t the only reason for my visit”, he replied, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper, which he reached out and handed to me. “Please look over this note with the instructions and come see me before dinner, Barrie”, he said, shooting me the half-smile that by now he had to know made me feel weak in the knees. He then turned to face Mallory. “Oh, and you”, he said pointing to her, “will report to my office for your interview after lunch”.

Mallory gulped and looked up at him, his face reflected in her glasses. “Y-yes, sir”, she replied with a stutter.

“Is there anything else, Mr. Langdon?” I asked, keeping up the ruse.

“That will be all”, he said, looking down and fixating his gaze on me. “Good day, ladies”.

Michael then continued to stare at me and his half smile turned into a full one for a good minute or two, before he turned and finally left the room, carrying his plate with the vitamin cube.

I could already feel Mallory’s eyes on me the second he was out of earshot. 

“What in the _hell_ was that?” She said to me.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, I said with a nervous tone in my voice as I continued to place dishes on the cart.

“There was something in the way Langdon kept looking at you”, she said. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that. And _what_ is that note about?”

“I’m not sure”, I said, truthfully not knowing as I hadn’t expected him to drop by, let alone hand me anything. I reached into my apron pocket and pulled it out. I skimmed the contents and smiled giddily to myself as I traced my fingers over the penmanship.

 

 _Leave_ _your_ _things_ _outside_ _my_ _room_ _later_. _And_ _you_ _look_ _beautiful_ _today_ , _in_ _case_ _I_ _haven’t_ _told_ _you_ _yet._

_\- Michael_

 

“Holy shit, you’re fucking blushing!” Mallory said to me with a laugh. “What does that say?!”

“No, it’s just warm in here”, I said, sweating nervously, and almost went into panic mode as Mallory snatched the note out of my hand. Embarrassed and terrified, I braced myself for her reaction, which clearly was one of shock as she read the note and then looked at me wide eyed and open-mouthed.

“What. The. _Fuck_...” she said in a low voice. 

I sat down in a chair and buried my face in my hands. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you”, I said to her, and my next reaction was only to smile and nod at the ridiculous turn this situation had delved into.

“Are you... is there something going on with you and Langdon?!” She said, sitting down in the chair opposite me. “When I heard a voice in your room yesterday, was that _him_?!” 

“Yes”, I said, as I managed to stifle out a small giggle. “I made him hide in the bathroom when you knocked. We were, um... well, in the middle of something...” I didn’t even get to finish my sentence when Mallory burst out laughing. 

“We’ve sort of been, uh... seeing each other, I guess you can say?” I said, nervously tapping my fingers on the table as Mallory calmed down a bit. “I really don’t know how else to put it. It happened pretty fast and it’s such a bizarre situation, it still doesn’t feel real if I’m being perfectly honest”.

“Wait”, Mallory said. “How fast is ‘pretty fast’? He’s only been here for a week”. 

“It started when I had my interview”, I said, still holding my head in my hands. 

“NO _FUCKING_ WAY!” Mallory shrieked, and I told motioned for her to lower her voice. “Now I see why he called you into his office the morning after! Damn, girl... and wait, is this who Michael is?! The one you were saying his name the other night when I heard you?!”

“Yes”, I responded, “His name is Michael Langdon and he told me to only call him Michael in private, to keep up the secret I guess”. 

Mallory was silent now but smiling. “Well, now I know why he doesn’t creep you out.”

“Listen, Mallory”, I said, lowering my own voice now. “He pardoned Emily and Timothy and apparently got Venable to bend a bit on the no sex rule...”

“I can see why”, Mallory said with a smirk and I playfully smacked her on the arm. 

“Seriously though”, I continued. “He’s been dropping hints that he doesn’t care if people know about us, but I still worry about that, mostly because Venable scares the living shit out of me. Especially after yesterday, even though he insists he won’t let anything happen to me”. 

“Oh, Barrie”, Mallory replied. “Considering what he just did in front of me? It was subtle, but I could see it. Not only does he not care about that, shit... he cares about _you_. It’s so fucking obvious”.

“Well, I mean, I know that much”, I said with a laugh.

“I don’t even mean it in that teenage high school way though”, she said. “Maybe wrong choice of word. But there was something there. I could see it in how he was looking at you. And the note. He’s feeling something for you. It’s actually really fucking adorable. I didn’t think he was capable of that based on what I’ve seen.” 

“He surprises me constantly”, I said. “He’s very kind to me; he’s so  affectionate when we’re alone. I tried to stay disconnected at first and keep it casual but he’s the one who’s been initiating that side. It’s so weird but I’m just riding it out, I guess. Also...” I paused for a minute. In all my gushing about Michael, I wasn’t sure whether to tell Mallory that there was still a feeling of uncertainty I had, that he was insisting on being so mysterious about his past and who he really was. And I absolutely was not going to mention the white face... 

“What?” Mallory asked.

“Never mind”, I said. “I just... I don’t know. I think I feel something for him too and I don’t understand it at all”.

“I don’t think it’s that complicated”, she replied. “I get it. Tall, dark, mysterious, handsome stranger, comes out of nowhere and sweeps you off your feet, apparently. It makes sense, even if he comes off scary”.

“I wouldn’t say he swept me off my feet, per se”, I said, laughing again. “But it’s something and I can’t explain it. You have to promise me you’re going to keep my secret. Please”. 

“I swear it”, she said. “Man, let me tell you though. Be glad you aren’t public with this. I’ve seen the way both Coco and Gallant look at him. They would flip their shit”. 

It was then that I briefly remembered that Gallant had been punished for having sex with someone in a latex suit, and still refused to say who, but I put it out of my head almost as quickly as it appeared.

In those moments, I was very grateful to have a friend like Mallory in this place. I began thinking about how I would feel if Michael didn’t choose her for the Sanctuary, and decided that when I got the chance, if the outcome of her interview was negative, I would do my best to convince him to take her with us when we left. 

Little did I know, this was the day when everything would start to change...

 

* * *

 

Lunch was served and after cleanup, Ms. Venable appeared and pulled Mallory away for her interview with Michael.She then sent me to clean in the corner of the foyer that happened to be located right next to Michael’s office, though I was placed on the opposite side of the room. 

Roughly 20 minutes or so had passed from the time Mallory had entered his office, when suddenly, in the midst of mopping the floor, I heard a voice that sounded like hers echo from the walls of the room; “I SAID LET ME GOOOOO!!”

Immediately hearing the echo, it was followed by something that sounded like a loud BOOM. Less than a minute later, the doors of the office flung open and Mallory ran out, straight past me and down the hall. I looked up to see Michael peering out from the office, his hair looking disheveled and a look on his face that seemed to be a combination of both shock and fright.

He turned and saw me, and I stood up and approached him quickly.

“What the fuck was that?!” I said, trying to keep my voice as low as possible. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, just give me a minute to fucking think!” He shouted at me, but immediately changed his demeanor when he saw me startled by it. He did a quick look around before grabbing my hand and pulling me into the office, the doors slamming shut behind us.

“Michael, damn it!”, I said, “‘Mallory is my friend and if you did something or said something to hurt her...”

“Barrie, I swear to you, I did nothing to harm her!”, he said, his voice shaky and nervous sounding.

“Well something happened, clearly!” I said. “You look severely freaked out. She ran out of here looking the same. Can’t you just tell me?”

“I think it would be best to just put it out of your mind”, Michael said, leaning in and wrapping his arms around me out of nowhere. He pulled me to him and hugged me tightly, his hands stroking my hair and back softly... almost as if it comforted him.

“What are you doing?” I asked, throwing my arms around him too on an impulse.  

“Holding you calms my nerves”, he said softly into the top of my head. 

I stood there, my head resting against his chest, feeling the soft velvet fabric of his jacket against my cheek as his palm caressed my back. I was still surprised, as I had told Mallory that morning, that Michael was becoming strangely more and more affectionate with me just within the last couple of days. I didn’t understand any of it but I went along with it, and absolutely loved it, as much as I didn’t want to admit it. Also, considering he had comforted me twice just the day before, it felt only fair for me to do it for him if he needed it. 

“You do know I’m still going to get Mallory’s side of this”, I said to him, making sure he could hear me despite my face being buried in his jacket. 

“I wouldn’t have expected anything less from you”, he replied, pulling away from me but not before leaning forward and pecked me on the lips. “Go to your friend”, he whispered. “And come to my room later with your things”.

“That note”, I said to him. “That was _so_ fucking sweet. Nobody’s ever done anything like that for me”.

“I had been admiring how pretty you looked when you left my room this morning”, he said, shooting me the infamous half-smile. “But I didn’t get a chance to tell you so at the time. You always look so beautiful to me, but I wanted you to know it”. 

I could feel my face getting hot with embarrassment and couldn’t stop smiling as Michael gave me another quick kiss before dismissing me from his office.

 

I found Mallory in the hall next to the library, leaning against the wall and panting heavily.

“What happened?!” I leaned in and asked her. She turned to face me, her body shaking.

“I - I don’t know”, she stammered. “I’m very confused”.

“Mallory, listen”, I said, “Just tell me right now. Did he hurt you? Physically? Or did he say something to upset you? Tell me the truth and whatever he did -“ I could feel preemptive rage starting to bubble inside me. No matter how much I cared for Michael, if he had touched or hurt my friend, there would be hell to pay.

“No, oh no, he did nothing”, she interrupted. “It was something - something _I_ did”.

“Wait. Something you did?” I asked curiously. Michael had seemed shaken, enough to want me to help comfort him, but I truthfully couldn’t fathom what could have possibly occurred.

“I heard you screaming”, I said. “You said ‘let me go’...” 

“He did grab me by the arm, but just because he didn’t want me to leave the office, he said he was offering me a chance to live. And I know you have something going on with him, so I’m sure it’s different, but I had still remembered what you said about him being easy to open up to. He was asking some pretty personal questions, which I was prepared for; you and Coco and everyone else had already told me he was doing that. But I felt very emotionally raw, and couldn’t explain why. I felt uncomfortable with what he had been asking and I wanted to leave”. She paused, took a deep breath and continued. “He didn’t hurt me, or even grab me that hard. I just couldn’t finish the questions and just didn’t want to be there anymore. But when I shouted at him... something happened. He flew backwards and hit the wall, and landed on the floor. Like my voice threw him back?”

“Wait. What?” I asked, extremely confused now.

“Yeah”, she said, her voice whispering. “And I think - I think set the room on fire”.

“Did you knock over a candle or something?” I asked.

“No, I mean, like - somehow after he flew backwards, flames shot out of the fireplace and went everywhere. I know this is impossible, but... I think I made the fire with my mind”.  

I stood there staring at my friend, not knowing how to respond. 

“It sounds crazy, I know”, she said, looking distressed. “Maybe it was from the blast, the radiation. I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.”

She paused, and then said, “Oh, _fuck_. I forgot. The reason I even think I made the flames shoot out in the first place. He - _did_ do something. Not to me directly, but... Something that scared the shit out of me. I can’t explain this either but-“ 

I braced myself for what was coming, and deep down had an inkling as to  what she was going to say.

“His face”, she said softly. “It - it changed. Like it turned completely white and veiny and his eyes turned black. He looked, I don’t know... like a fucking _demon_. I know, that doesn’t make sense either... never mind”. 

She leaned forward and whispered now.

“Look, Barrie... I know you like him. I promised you I wouldn’t tell anyone you were seeing him and I won’t. But... what happened back there. That wasn’t... it wasn’t human. It felt... I don’t know. It felt _evil_. I’ve heard Emily and Timothy whispering, they think something is wrong with him too. When you told me you and him had gotten involved this morning, I thought maybe they were wrong. But now... look, I can’t tell you what to do. You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions. Just... please. Be careful”.

She reached out to hug me and I hugged her back, but still didn’t know how to answer. So I didn’t. I just nodded and Mallory went off somewhere to be alone with her thoughts.

Mallory had seen the white face and black eyes. She had seen what had been appearing to me every so often and had been haunting me deep down during the last several days. I knew now I wasn’t imagining it. It was real. And I had to know more.

 

* * *

 

 

Later in the early evening, I was off shift until dinner. I spent some time in the library, listening to the terrible soft rock music that played on the stereo system constantly, and thumbing through a book when I heard the loud echo of Michael’s boots on the floor. I put the book down and went into the hallway, seeing him leave his office and take the long way up the stairs towards his room.

I then remembered that he had asked me to pack some of my things up to leave in his room, and I hadn’t done it yet, so figured I would use the opportunity to do just that and confront him about what Mallory had seen. I wasn’t certain he would even tell me anything, but I knew the longer I put it off, the less likely I was to get it done.

I went up to my room and grabbed a backpack out of my closet, one of the personal items I had brought from home and my previous life before the bombs. I folded up some of my Grey outfits, underwear, socks, and hair ties; I went into the bathroom and grabbed some basic toiletries including my toothbrush.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the predicament- was this was basically the end of the world equivalent of leaving your stuff at the person you were dating’s house, and in my case, the person I was “dating” was possibly some kind of demon?

I left my room, backpack in hand, and proceeded down the hall towards Michael’s room in the opposite direction, rather than through his office like I had been sneaking in the last few days. I approached the door with the intention of knocking, only to find it it open ajar. Curious, I stepped in and closed the door behind me, but Michael was not there. I dropped the backpack on the floor next to his desk and peeked into the bathroom, which was empty. I wasn’t sure what to do now; I had heard him leave the office and assumed he had just come to his room, as he usually did - generally speaking, Michael didn’t exactly socialize with the others in the Outpost besides me outside of his interviews, and stayed fairly reclusive. He had been spending all his time in the office when not in his room.

I decided to just wait and went to sit on his bed, when I noticed that the tall dresser located directly to the right of his door had been moved slightly away from the wall. I went to look behind it, realizing that there was another door that was also open. I saw light reflected in the distance and couldn’t help but step in through the door, which led me down a short hallway I had never been down before. I passed by a couple of rows of doors and presumed this was some kind of expansive crawl space, maybe used for storage? 

I walked towards the light in the distance and stopped short when I approached it a small, round room at the end of the hallway.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw...

 

Michael was sitting, facing the wall, surrounded by a circle of candles. He was shirtless, proven by his bare back turned to me, and as he lifted himself up to continue lighting the candles, once I saw his equally bare ass did I realize he was actually completely naked. He was kneeling into this circle and I noticed a shiny object next to him on the floor. 

It took me another minute to realize that the shiny object was a knife.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picking up where we left off. There’s lots of smut in this chapter... Barrie discovers Michael performing the blood ritual in the Outpost and even though she is rightfully frightened by it, somehow it brings them closer and cements their relationship.
> 
> But she also starts to realize what secret he’s been keeping from her.
> 
> Also, hope y’all like the meta reference to Murder House I threw in in the third part of the chapter. It occurred to me that it would be funny to include that quote and have Barrie’s inner narratation say it was from a TV show she used to watch!

“ _May_ _you_ _rise_ _from_ _the_ _void_ , _Father_ ”, I heard Michael begin to chant now from inside his circle of candles.

“ _May_ _your_ _darkness_ _guide_ _me_...” 

I watched in shock as I saw him reach for the knife, and my stomach dropped when I realized he was running the blade over the insides of his forearms. He sliced two long gashes into both from just above his wrists up to each bicep, and blood was dripping on to the floor profusely from them both. 

“ _Power_ _in_ _Satan_ _to_ _overcome_ _my_ _weaknesses_ ”, he continued to chant. “ _Power_ _in_ _your_ _name_ _to_ _be_ _strong_ _within_...” 

My eyes couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Michael grunted aloud as he finished cutting and settled the knife down beneath him. He was staring seemingly into space as I saw his knees bend and he descended to the floor, his blood spilling everywhere now. I almost instinctively ran to him, as I assumed he was passing out from blood loss, but to my extreme surprise he seemed to be perfectly fine. In fact, he reached his hands down and began running his arms and the palms of his hands through the blood on the hardwood floor, almost as if he was tracing something. 

“ _I_ _thought_ _I_ _destroyed_ _them_ _all_ ”, I heard him speak again. “ _One_ _survived_.” He paused and let out a breath. He was looking at the floor now. 

“I _found_ _her_. _She’s_ _here_ ”. 

I realized now that he was indeed tracing some kind of image into the floor with his own blood, noticing the triangular points he was making. I stood on my tiptoes as quietly as I possibly could, reaching my head as far as I could push it to see. It looked like he was drawing a star of some kind. 

I held my breath when he finished and I saw what it actually was.

 

A pentagram...

 

“ _I_ _beg_ for _your_ _wisdom_ ”, he continued, lifting his head up now.

“ _PLEASE_! _Father_! _Open_ _my_ _eyes_!!” I heard him cry out towards the ceiling. 

I stood there frozen. Was Michael a Satanist? Is this why he had chosen to be so secretive with me? I didn’t understand what was happening, and I especially didn’t understand why he didn’t seem to be bleeding out from his self inflicted wounds. There was so much blood on the floor, I expected him to be completely passed out now. But his skin was its normal color and he seemed perfectly fine... and I had no clue how that was even possible. The only thing I gathered from what I had walked in on was that he was performing some kind of ritual. 

I didn’t even have time to think or consider my next move, seeing the blood on floor suddenly begin to bubble up.

I looked up to see Michael was now seemingly running his bloody hands across his bare torso and up to his neck and face. It was then that I felt something slimey feeling roll over my foot, and heard hissing noises. I looked down to see dozens of long black snakes seemingly emerge from the blood on the floor, and became startled as one slithered over my foot.

Any attempt I was making to stay quiet was completely destroyed now.

“FUCKKKKK!” I shouted impulsively, as the snakes slithered away and disappeared into the vents.

Michael’s attention was gained now as he turned his upper body to see me, before turning entirely, crouching on his knees covered in his own blood.

“M-Michael...” I stuttered...

That was when his eyes turned black once again, and as he faced me, two words quietly left his lips:

 

“ _Ave_ _Satanas_ ”.

 

* * *

 

“Michael... what.. what the _fuck_ is this?!” I asked him. He faced me, on his knees still. His eyes had turned back to their bright blue hue once again. 

“Barrie... I-I’m sorry... please, you weren’t supposed to see this”, he stammered, his voice quivering. “Not yet. You weren’t ready”.  

“Ready? For what?? For what?!” I shouted at him. “What are you... a _Satanist_?? What is this?? A fucking blood ritual??! Where did those snakes come from??? Holy... I can’t deal with this right now”. I turned to walk away as I felt tears stinging in my eyes.

“Barrie, please,” Michael said, as I glanced back at him. He was gazing up at me from the floor; his eyes glistened and it looked like he was also tearing up. “I swear I was going to tell you everything. I had to hide this. I didn’t want to scare you off.”

“Well, you did a piss poor job”, I said, keeping my back turned still. “Because I’m scared shitless”.

“Don’t be afraid”, he said, reaching his hand out, but I refused to take it.

“I can’t handle this right now”, I said. “You lied to me. You refused to tell me about... whatever _this_ is, that clearly is your religion and it’s important to you”...

“It’s far more complicated than that”, Michael interrupted me. “That’s why I kept wanting you to trust me. I couldn’t bear possibly frightening you away.”

“Leave me the fuck alone!”, I said, holding back tears but doing a terrible job at it, as I stormed out and back into Michael’s room. He stood up and followed me, his naked body nearly slipping on the blood soaked floor. He cut me off before I got to the door of his room, grabbing hold of my hand and turning me to face him.

It was then that I looked down at the cuts on his arms curiously, only to see that instead of bleeding out from the wounds like I had thought they were going to at any second, they already seemed to be healing at an alarmingly fast rate. His body was still covered in quickly drying blood, but the actual gashes seemed to be closing up.

“How...”, I stammered, “Your arms... I don’t understand..” I choked, tears running fast down my cheeks now. “Is this some kind of black magic?”

“For all intents and purposes, yes”, Michael said, pulling me into him and wrapping his bloody arms around me. I tried to resist but he dug his hand in my hair ties and undid the bun, allowing my hair to spill down to my shoulders, and buried his face in it while stroking the back, almost as if to calm himself.

“I will tell you everything”, he whispered. “I want you to know about me, but I don’t want to lose you either”. I felt wet beads hit the top of my head and looked up to see he was crying now too. Impulsively, I brushed my palm along the delicate pale skin of his bare torso pushed against me, which emanated a small moan from him. 

“Michael”, I said quietly to him, and noticed his eyes were soft and his lips were slightly open, but he wasn’t looking at me lustfully or menacing like he usually did. This was something else entirely. This was similar to the look he had given me in the kitchen earlier, where Mallory had told me she was convinced he felt something more for me. I hadn’t believed her but now, I could see it in his face. It was a look nobody had ever given me before.

I was scared. Angry. But looking at him, and his eyes staring back at me - I couldn’t leave. I wanted to be with him. 

He leaned down and enveloped my lips in his, and it didn’t take long before his hands were fumbling with the zipper on the back of my dress. This seemed like a strange time for it, but nonetheless I slipped out of the cumbersome outfit, leaving me in my bra and panties as Michael bent down to the floor and removed my shoes and socks for me. Standing up, he approached the bed and slowly laid himself on his back on the covered sheets while reaching his hand out and pulled me towards him. I climbed on top of him and straddled myself over his groin, allowing his rapidly hardening cock to brush against the cotton fabric of my panties as I grinded into it slowly.

Michael’s bloody hands made their way onto various parts of my body, from my thighs to my hips and eventually reached up to squeeze my covered breasts. I reached around my back and undid the clasp, allowing my bra to drop off my torso as he pushed it onto the floor. He laid there underneath me, his fingers caressing over my nipples as I slowly began to roll my hips into him, panties still on. Michael looked up at my breasts as he gripped them, staring at them intensely as if he was seeing them for the first time. I couldn’t help but notice the gashes on the insides of his arms were completely healed now, despite a large sheet of dried red blood still covering parts of his face and chest.

Michael spoke before I even had a chance to register the unnatural event in front of me.

“I never get tired of of this view”, he said suddenly, his voice shaky and tears still appearing from his eyes. He was fixated on my upper body, his hands continuously moving from my breasts to my arms and stomach and sides. “You... your body, your mind, you’re so fucking _beautiful_ ”, he panted. “I’m powerless to you and your touch and everything you are! Please, let me worship you...”

“Where is this coming from?!” I asked suddenly, breaking out of my mood, but only briefly before Michael sat up and took one of my nipples in his mouth. I moaned loudly as I felt his hot breath on my skin and his wet tongue gliding over them both. That single act brought my arousal back in full force. 

He buried his face in between my breasts and I felt his tears wetting the skin as he placed soft, open-mouthed kisses in the center where they hung from my chest. He seemed so different in this moment. Seemingly gone was the confident, sexy, smooth yet menacing man I thought I had been getting to know. Right now, he seemed like a small, helpless boy who desperately wanted someone to hold and comfort him, while enamored by my naked body against his. It reminded me of him comforting himself with me in his office earlier. Seeing this whole other side to him made me never want to let him go.

I ran my fingers through the soft strands of his long hair and brought his head up to meet my gaze. His gorgeous blue eyes were almost sparkling and he was still crying a little, but smiling wider than I had ever seen him do. 

He slipped his fingers into the elastic waistband of my panties and tugged at them, indicating that he wanted them off. I hoisted myself up onto my knees and pulled them down, sliding them off my body and tossed them over my shoulder, not caring where they landed. Michael never broke his gaze, lowering one hand down and brushed the tip of his index finger over my slit and his other hand reaching up to caress my cheek. Without even thinking, I covered his hand with mine and slowly dragged his other index finger that was on my face towards my lips, slipping it into my mouth slowly. My eyelids slowly fluttered shut as I moved my lips down towards his knuckle and sucked at a smooth pace as Michael began to tease my clit with his other hand below me.

I opened my eyes briefly to look at him and he seemed to be almost in a trance as he gazed at me, his finger still in my mouth.

“You’re incredible”, he stammered. “You’re perfect. Every part of you. Every bit of you. Inside and outside.” 

I pulled my mouth off his finger and felt my legs clenching on his hand. “I don’t understand...” I started to say, my breathing deepening now.

“Yes, you do”, Michael responded, flipping me over suddenly so I was on my back. He grabbed a pillow from behind me and shoved it underneath my ass, propping my lower body up. I had an idea of what he was doing, but still felt like I had to say how I felt about myself. I felt inadequate and he didn’t deserve me.

“Michael, I’m not perfect”, I started to protest as he dragged his tongue slowly down my stomach. He looked up at me as he spread my legs open. 

“Stop it”, he said in a harsh tone, “You _are_ perfect in my eyes. Every. Single. Part. Of. You”. His eyes darted downwards as he looked at the mound between my legs. “And so is the taste of you”, his voice lowering an octave and his breathing shallow. I felt his fingertips run along the outer rim of my labia as he cupped his palm over it briefly. “Fuck, you’re so wet right now, it drives me wild when you get like this for me,” he said now, licking his lips. “I swear, I never tire of eating your sweet pussy and giving you pleasure. Let me taste you... I want it, I want to please you...” 

His voice trailed off as he broke his gaze and lifted up my leg. I flinched when I felt the wetness of his tongue and lips running along my inner thighs. My body jerked forward as his his lips met my lower ones, and his tongue crept it’s way in. Two of his fingers found their way inside as well and curled under me as he moved his mouth up and softly sucked at my clit, slowly at first and then picking up the pace with his tongue. I sat up, grabbed at his hair and heard him moaning even below me, biting my lip as I felt the now cold blood stains from his chin and neck against the most sensitive part of me. He went faster, holding onto my hips and barely allowing himself time to even come up for air. I knew he enjoyed going down on me, because despite having just told me, he did so every time without having to be asked. Even more so that because of my trauma and our conversation about it that one night, I hadn’t been reciprocating on his end. But right now, he was going at it as if his life depended on it, and was seemingly dragging it out for as long as possible.

“Michael, _holy_ _shit_ ”... I panted as I thrusted my hips into his mouth. I was already close and felt my lower abdomen dropping. He knew how to use his tongue from the very first day, but seemed to be learning, as he had been over the last week, what my specific pleasure preferences were and by now it was clear he knew exactly what would push me to climax. He was a man on a mission, pausing occasionally to breathe and leave me wanting more before he dove in again. He lifted me up slowly and as soon as I felt the tip of his tongue glide down to my ass, teasing it a little and then back up to focus on my clit... whatever he was doing now, plus the new position of my pelvis being held up by the pillow under me... it felt _magical_.

My thighs clenched as he dug his fingernails into my hips and I couldn’t help myself anymore. “I’m so close... PLEASE Michael...” I panted at him in a louder voice. Usually I stayed as quiet as possible but I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

He didn’t even have to ask me to beg for it this time.

Michael pulled his mouth away and he crawled on top, hovering over me. He reached underneath and pulled the pillow away, bending his head down to kiss my jaw, neck and throat, his lips soaked from my juices and his long hair falling into my face as he brushed his hardness against my stomach. He lowered his head as he kissed and squeezed my breasts before returning his lips to my face, brushing them along my ear.

“You” he whispered. “You’re _mine_ , Barrie. All mine. You don’t even know what you’ve done to me. I want to feel you. I _need_ to feel you wrapped around me. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. I...”

He didn’t finish the sentence this time.

He slid into me, his hips thrusting slower than I had been used to to him doing up to that point. I held my hands up to his face, which was wet both from a combination of his tears and sweat; his red eyeshadow was smeared. I brushed my thumb under his eyes to wipe some of the wetness away and he still had a massive smile on his face.

He began to increase his thrusting speed finally, and I wrapped my legs around him as I felt him sliding in and out of my wet folds. My breathing was heavy. My moans louder. It felt far more emotional than any other time with him. Something was different now. Even the previous night when he had fucked me hard against the wall hadn’t felt as intense and explosive as this, though the indications were there. I knew deep down what it was but was slightly afraid to voice it. I wanted to shout it in his face, but instead I squeezed my mouth shut as to not suddenly begin crying out everything I was feeling for him. I was afraid to ruin the moment, even though he had been telling me everything I wanted so desperately to hear. My feelings for him couldn’t be contained anymore and I knew it. 

Michael tilted his head back and I climaxed under him, moaning so loudly that my throat hurt. Almost as soon as I did, his thrusts became sloppy and he pulled out with a loud hiss as he shot over my stomach at an almost ungodly rate before he rolled over onto his back next to me.

This was _definitely_ different. In all the times we had sex during the last few days, Michael and I had never both orgasmed at the same time. Until now.

 

He was first to reach over and put his arms around me as my breathing slowed and a wave of relaxation overtook me. I felt a way I hadn’t felt in a long time, laying next to him.

He turned so we were facing each other now. I stared at him and even though I knew what I was feeling, hearing the words escape his lips first still sent shocks throughout my body. 

“I love you”, he said, leaning in to press his forehead to mine. “I’ve wanted to say it so many times but now I can’t stop myself. Of course I loved the woman who was like a mother to me, but I’ve never been _in_ _love_ in the way that I love you, Barrie. You’ve given me more happiness in the last few days than I have had in a long time. I just want to know you won’t abandon me like everyone else I’ve ever cared for has. I had nothing... no one... I don’t want to be alone anymore”. 

“I love you too, Michael”, I said, my chest feeling heavy as I saw his lips curving into his beautiful smile once again. He leaned in and peppered light kisses all over my face and neck.

“I love you _so_ much. I won’t abandon you; I promise”, I whispered, my body tingling as I felt his soft lips on my skin. “I just want to know who you really are. I told you about me. I just want the same from you. You just told me you loved me - if you really do, you’ll tell me. Communication is so important to me”.

He didn’t respond, merely smiled as he continued to kiss along my jawline to my collarbone and on my chest area directly above my breasts. Feeling like he was trying to distract me, I shifted my body enough so his lips moved away.

“Not so fast”, I said, looking him square in the eye. “You’re avoiding this. Why won’t you just tell me?”

He allowed himself to make eye contact with me now, taking one of my hands and holding it in his as he positioned his body so it was half on top of me, but facing me.

“I don’t know how much more clear I can be”, he said softly, running the tips of his fingers along the base of my palm. “I needed to know if you would love me even if you knew... what I was... who I am... my life’s work...”

“Michael, you fucker”, I said to him, meaning the word in an affectionate way and hoping he realized that. Thankfully, his smile when I called him that showed me that he did. “Look. I just walked in on you performing a Satanic blood ritual of some kind and there were fucking snakes that appeared out of nowhere. You cut your arms deeply and didn’t pass out from blood loss, and then healed... they didn’t even leave a scar. I don’t know how or why, and for days I’ve seen your face turn white and your eyes turn black. I should be scared for my life, and that isn’t to say I’m not a little, but I still find myself coming to you every night.”

I took a deep breath and continued, letting everything I had been feeling but refusing to even admit to myself just come flooding right out.

“You’ve consumed my thoughts every waking minute this last week. I’ve poured my heart out to you and told you my deepest secrets, about some of the darkest periods of my life. Every second I’m not with you, I want nothing more than to go find you and throw myself into your arms. And I still consented, even wanted, to have sex with you just now because even despite the fear, I know I love you. I’ve known for a while. It’s all happening so fast but I know what I’m feeling. You say you love me too. So, I just want the same from you that I’ve given. Honesty. I just want to know who you really are. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t want to know.” I leaned forward and kissed him deeply, hoping he could sense that I meant for it to be proof enough for him. He gave in and kissed me back, his bloody hand caressing my cheek. 

Michael then pressed his head against the side of my face after he pulled away from the kiss, laying me back against the sheets. “My entire life, I’ve had these compulsions I’ve never understood”, he said, looking down at me and speaking so quietly he was nearly whispering. “Compulsions to hurt... to _kill_. It wasn’t until after my grandmother killed herself and my father betrayed me. One day, they came. Three of them. Two women, one man. One of the women was the one who eventually took me in and raised me as if I was her own son. The man claimed to be Anton LeVay, the head of the Church of Satan. He said he had faked his own death to prepare for my arrival.”

Wait... had he said urges to _kill_? 

“So you _are_ a Satanist?” I asked, starting to understand, or at least I thought I was, and conveniently ignoring his comments about urges to kill. Still, the words shook me underneath, even though I refused to admit it. 

Michael paused his story and let out a deep sigh. “They had me perform a ritual called The Black Mass”, he continued finally. “Once I ate the heart of a sacrifice”... I suddenly felt my skin get cold as he said that... “I finally realized my true purpose. My destiny. I was shown... my real father finally showed himself to me. Barrie, my love, please understand me. My Father...”

It was starting to come together, though part of me didn’t want to believe it.

“Who are you?” I asked. “Really? Who... _what_ are you??” 

Michael sat up and looked down at me. His body next to mine suddenly felt hot to the touch and the air around us began to feel stuffy and nearly scorching. I felt my skin begin to clam up from the sudden change in air, and the heat that was radiating from his body.

His face turned into the pale white, veiny sheen once again and his eyes turned black as night. He spoke in a low, but bold tone as his face turned back to normal. I felt frozen in that moment, a feeling overwhelming of both love and fear. 

“My name is Michael Langdon”, he said, “That is who I am. My Father is Satan. And I am the _Antichrist_ ”.

 

* * *

 

 

“ **The** **Devil** **is** **real** **and** **he’s** **not** **some** **little** **red** **man** **with** **horns** **and** **a** **tail**. **He** **can** **be** **beautiful** , **because** **he's** **a** **fallen** **angel** **and** **he** **used** **to** **be** **God's** **favorite**.”

 

This quote about the devil echoed through my head over and over as I laid snuggled up with Michael on his bed. I couldn’t remember exactly where I had heard it; I was certain it was dialogue said on a television show I used to watch in the old world before the bombs, but the name of the program was escaping me.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed since I had walked into the room and discovered his ritual, followed by my freak out that led into what was probably one of the most emotionally intense sexual encounters I had with him since this whole situation with us had begun earlier in the week. His words about being the Antichrist hadn’t quite begun to process with me just yet. I had come to accept that he likely had some kind of supernatural abilities, but a million other questions went unasked.

I was unsure, but I knew for a fact that I loved him. Whatever else that meant, I decided in that moment would come later. Now was not the time.

Michael had been silent with his head resting next to mine for quite some time, and I had assumed he had fallen asleep until I felt him roll over and wrap his arms around me, rolling us both onto our sides. We were still naked and I couldn’t help but moan softly as I felt his flaccid cock brush against the back of my thigh.

“I’m perfectly content just holding you right now”, he said softly in my ear. “Though I hope you know I’m going to be all over you again when we go to bed later tonight”.

“I’m still wrecked from before”, I said, being completely honest. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such an intensely intimate experience like that in my life. Ever”.

“Can’t say I really have either, before you”, he purred into my ear. “You’re shy about it, but please don’t say you aren’t perfect. You are to me. You’re so kind  and intelligent and sexy and strong. You are an incredible woman, and I love you more than you possibly know”. 

“Whoa, easy there tiger”, I said, “I mean, all that same could be said for you. I do love you but what does that mean for this now? What about when you make your selections?” 

“I’m working on that. Just leave everything to me”, he said in response. “As for the others, their opinion of me or us holds no weight. I’m willing to keep it a secret if that makes you more comfortable, but I hope this means that I at least can refer to you as my partner”.

I felt myself smiling wide as Michael hugged my body close to his, which was still feeling unreasonably warm but I had become comfortable with it now. “So long as I can call you mine”, I said, before continuing, “I do have to be honest with you though. Just keep in mind that I don’t know what I’m doing. I told you, I’ve really only dated casually in my life. You know I’ve never been in a serious relationship before...”

Strands of his long blonde hair tickled over my face as I felt Michael placing warm kisses on my cheek, neck and shoulder. “That makes two of us”, he said quietly. “We’ll learn together”. 

“Oh, _please_ ”, I said with a laugh. “I find that hard to believe. You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my life. I can’t imagine you’ve never been in a relationship”. Michael’s silence, however, indicated to me that he was serious. 

“It was difficult for me to get close to anyone for a long time”, he said. “As I said, the only other woman I’ve ever loved was the one who raised me. Even casual sex with people of all genders has only given me temporary pleasures in the past. I’ve secretly longed to find someone to love and connect with, who loved and accepted me, above all else”.

“Wait”, I said. “Of _all_ genders? So... you’ve been with more than just women?” I couldn’t say I was surprised by this revelation; Michael clearly was attractive to, and definitely came across, as appealing to anyone and everyone. It made sense that he probably had been with women and men and everyone in between. 

“I wouldn’t say I have a sexual preference”, he said in my ear. “I sort of just have gone with whomever I’m interested in the moment, on the rare occasion that I am at all”. 

“Wow. So you’re exactly like me in both of those aspects”, I said. I had only ever been with men on a sexual or romantic level, but I knew I was equally attracted to women and people who identified as neither. I felt less alone knowing Michael had a similar way about him.

“I knew you were perfect”, he whispered as he nuzzled his face into my shoulder. “Since you now know about my Father, and hopefully my purpose, I hope as the coming days pass I can show you my abilities and what I am capable of. I know you want to know about me, so I won’t hide from you any longer. I can’t reveal my full plan to you just yet, but we’ll get there. As I’ve told you, this was never part of that plan. I didn’t ever imagine I would find someone I would fall in love with as I explored these Outposts, but now that I have, I’m never going to let you go”. 

Michael then let out a yawn, and got quiet as he laid into my back.

“Get some rest”, I told him, reaching my hand up to brush his upper arm as it was wrapped over me. “I have to get going in a about an hour to run to my dinner shift, but we can nap for a bit”.

“I’m going to do just that”, he replied, pulling my face towards him and kissing my lips softly. “Wake me before you leave. Sweet dreams, my love”.

Michael dozed off shortly after that and I allowed him to unwrap himself from my body. He rolled onto his stomach next to me and slept, while I laid there half watching him and trying not to focus too much on the millions of things running through my brain. I still wasn’t certain about anything other than what was infront of me: somehow, a handsome, smart, charismatic, intimidating but also incredibly sweet man was lying next to me in bed and had told me he loved me. He had confirmed that we were in a relationship now; he’d called me his partner. It seemed far too good to be true and I doubted I would ever be enough for him.

I managed to doze off for a bit myself, but kept waking up. I eventually came to the conclusion that Michael was some kind of powerful Satanist but he had to have been exaggerating about this Antichrist shit. I had never been much of a religious person and barely believed in that. Much like Michael had told me, I barely knew if I even believed in God. I had so many questions.

Everything that was swimming around in my head disappeared momentarily when I felt Michael’s hand reach over and brush mine in his sleep. He was lying on his side now on the left side of the bed, and I instinctively reached over and snuggled into his back, kissing his shoulders and neck softly. He moaned very quietly but didn’t awaken. 

I realized the time and figured it would be best for me to start getting up and heading out for the dinner shift. I remembered Michael had said to wake him before I left, but he looked so peaceful I didn’t want to do it abruptly. Instead, I chose to keep caressing him and brushed my lips along the base of his neck. He stirred slightly and his warm skin felt incredible as I pressed my body against his back. 

I lifted my head up with the intention of whispering in his ear that I was going to leave, but first decided to work my lips up from his hairline and left soft kisses along the side of his neck and face. I eventually reached the top of his head and pushed some of the strands of his hair away from behind his ear, intending to get to the spot just below his earlobe and let him know I was about get going.

Suddenly, a lump formed in my throat and my chest got heavy when I noticed three small raised bumps behind his ear, buried behind his long blonde hair - the ones I had felt when I touched him there the day before but had completely forgotten about. Curious now that I had a clear view, I leaned up and looked closely at the bumps. They looked like numbers, even from upside down.

 

My heart nearly stopped when I realized what those numbers were. Three of them. Of the same one.

 

6

6

6

 

**666**

 

The mark of the beast.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Writer’s block lifted. I decided to make this chapter a one shot of Michael’s point of view after he and Barrie had their post-ritual coitus. Figured it would be a nice change to get inside his head for a bit, as well as work in some of the plot of the show that hasn’t been explored yet in this story. 
> 
> So Michael here is reflecting on the past week in the Outpost. It’s more or less a summary of the story until now except from his point of view. I decided to explore everything at once - what drew him to her, his deep seated mommy issues (of course), his hidden longing for companionship since the losses of Constance and Ms. Mead, a replay of his thoughts and version of events during their first sexual encounter in Chapter 1, and why he treats her so differently than everyone else. Above all, he respects her because she doesn’t treat him like the Antichrist who is destined to do something at their will, or someone who will give him something they desire, and explore the dynamics of how he’s fascinated that she wasn’t throwing herself at him at first despite being attracted to him. I went slightly AU and non-canon, making him have past sexual experiences with people of all genders prior to his arrival at the Outpost, but ultimately giving up on it because he wasn’t getting anything out of it. Barrie is the first person he actually feels real romantic feelings for, so I made him reflect on how he operates differently on a sexual level now and doesn’t quite understand it. 
> 
> I also made mention of a few points from throughout the season, including finally acknowledging that Ms. Mead is a robot, that she was created by Mutt and Jeff, and made mention of how he had come to use seduction as a manipulative tactic, specifically describing his interaction with Ms. Venable. I decided to make his meeting with Barrie happen an hour after Venable’s, as a contrast to what he was used to doing and then it shifted not much longer after with her. Overall, I think we know by now that Michael is lonely and secretly longs for love and acceptance. Which is why he’s also moving fast with her, because he’s scared she’ll leave like everyone else has when they discover his true nature. I went way non-canon here with describing Michael’s sexual history, because while it was never actually featured on the show, he had to had learn about seduction from somewhere... right? 
> 
> In coming chapters I want to showcase him showing her his supernatural abilities and trying to get her to warm up to what he really is, and drag it out as long as possible before the showdown at the end.
> 
> I’m pretty proud of how this came out. I’ll be editing and adding to it as well.
> 
> We’ll pick up back with Barrie’s first person point of view in the next chapter!
> 
> Not 100% sure yet if I want to keep this as a one time thing of his POV in third person, or do it again, and keep it mostly first person from Barrie’s. I’ll see how I feel.

**Michael’s** **POV**

 

 

He sat in his room, staring at his laptop screen.

She was already gone when he had awoken. He actually was somewhat awake when he felt her kissing and caressing his face and neck as he laid on his side, taking it in and thinking to himself how happy he truly was. He did, however, sense a bit of apprehension, still being able to read her thoughts even in his half-slumbered state. He knew that she pushed his hair aside and finally saw the Mark Of the Beast that was implanted behind his ear. He had been scared briefly, but his fears subsided when he had heard her say, even after he knew she saw the three sixes, that she was leaving to head to her dinner shift but would see him later, repeating that she loved him as she left the bed and he heard her fumbling for her clothes in the background as he drifted back to sleep.

He hadn’t even bothered to shower; he lazily used his magic to clean the blood off himself, just as he used to clean the small room where he cried out for his Father’s assistance. He was also only half-dressed; his underwear and pants were on and he had put on a shirt, but it was only partially buttoned up, and he was barefoot. His hair was still somewhat messy. He was completely lost in his thoughts from what had just happened, and he found himself reflecting on the events of the past week.

He felt almost ashamed. He felt afraid. He was Michael Langdon, the Antichrist, the son of Satan, the bringer of the End Times, whom had people fall at his feet prior to the apocalypse. Whom he had never really loved any person, and didn’t think he would, except for his precious Ms. Mead, and his late Grandma Constance before her, despite that he hadn’t wanted to admit that himself, deep down he always loved his grandmother. He had projected his own insecurities from her onto Gallant during both the hairdresser’s interview and subsequent punishment after all, even after he summoned the demon in black latex to seduce him that first night he’d arrived.

An act that he considered what his Father wanted from him. 

What he at first felt ashamed of, as he did the ritual that first night to bring humiliation to the weak and pathetic hairdresser, who had so obviously lusted for him. He knew what the man was doing, lying in bed thinking of Michael after their interview. He had previously considered giving in to lustful desires equally a tool of the weak.

He’d eat his own words later that very day, and later that night as he typed emails to the Cooperative in his room, he sensed that someone else in the bunker was also pleasuring themselves with him in mind. 

_She_ was.

He could sense that the small, nervous woman whom he had been fascinated by earlier that day, who’s pretty eyes drew him in as he had passed by her when he left the meeting in the library; whom didn’t seem to be like anyone else in that Outpost, was in her room touching herself and replaying the images of him in her mind from earlier that day. Whom he let himself go around. Whom he had willingly given his body to, and she willingly gave him hers.

The thought of her touching herself while thinking of him and their two encounters brought him a strange sense of bliss as he equally replayed the same images of them together, so much that he was so overcome by arousal that he felt himself getting hard at his desk. He kept thinking of her small, gorgeous naked body on top of him, of how he had touched her everywhere, of kissing her, of them going at it a second time in the shower. He still couldn’t believe that he had called her in to find out more about her as he was assigned to do, only to end up fucking her not once, but _twice_ in one day. He truthfully was surprised he had even been drawn to her enough to kiss her.  

Michael rarely ever masturbated; when he did, it was usually because he was so pent up with stress and frustration that he needed to relieve it somehow. This time, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, and knowing that she was in her room thinking of him and pleasuring herself coaxed him to stroke his own hardness through his pants. Unable to contain himself, he had gotten up from his laptop and lay in his bed, unzipping his pants and allowing his cock to spring free. He had grabbed it and tried to imagine it was inside her again, instead of simply his own fingers wrapped around his shaft. Even using her as a visual didn’t help too much, as he often just did it on an impulse to calm himself down, and generally never fantasized about anyone or thing. He only managed to make himself finish from the thought that she would be meeting him the following morning and hoping it would happen all over again. He hadn’t been certain she would come, so he decided he would ask Ms. Venable the following morning to fetch her for him. But he hoped that she would. He secretly wanted to go to her, thinking how exciting it would be to watch her touch herself in front of him, or continue with what they had been doing earlier. He chose not to, even though it killed him inside, as he thought maybe it would make him seem too eager. Thankfully, his eventual orgasm relaxed him enough that he fell asleep. He found it strange the following morning that he hadn’t acted on his urge to go find her, something he hadn’t been ashamed to do in the past. 

He had read her thoughts and feelings the entirety of their short interview. He knew she also found him attractive, but unlike Gallant, who had wanted him to bend him over and take him right there, Barrie - with her interesting name normally reserved for men, albeit with the spelling difference, that he adored for its uniqueness - was admiring him in a way that wasn’t necessarily lust. It was simple adoration, and curiosity, and not in the same way the Satanists in that church in the dark alley of Los Angeles had, or those two idiots with the bowl cuts from Silicon Valley had done. Michael replayed in his head how his entire body and brain took over, his human side, with her that first day, enough to allow him to give in to what he considered to be shallow indulgences.

He had engaged in sexual situations before, no doubt. Mainly out of morbid curiosity, when his body grew faster and his mind eventually followed; he had gone through physical puberty instantaneously, so the hormones and emotional side of it took a while to catch up. He’d found himself experimenting sexually with both men and women, fucking some members of the Cooperative or random people who worshipped his Father, in the days leading up to (and during, and after) the apocalypse. He had been honest with her; he really had no preference for anyone based on gender, finding many different types of people attractive and just sort of going with the flow of whomever showed interest in him in that moment. He’d fooled around with so many people, none of them stood out anymore, and he could no longer even remember the name or gender of the person whom had taken his virginity. That’s how forgettable they all were. He knew people desired him for some time; he knew several of the boys who were his fellow students with him back when Outpost 3 was the Hawthorne School for Exceptional Young Men had wanted him. He knew several members of all genders at the Satanic congregation in downtown LA lusted over him; he had heard their lewd thoughts during their weekly potluck dinners, mostly getting themselves off by asking to touch his hair (and wow, did he _hate_ that; Barrie was eventually the only one he was okay with touching his hair, and he loved when she ran her fingers through it). He chose never to indulge any of these people, as he was distracted by the plan and his destiny, and by his overwhelming urge to destroy the witches and warlocks who wanted to use him and bring him down. In the days leading up to the bombs falling, his hormones had caught up, and he figured he may as well give sex a shot before the end of the world. 

Once the world had become engulfed in nuclear winter, he gave up, feeling virtually nothing from it. He found himself constantly disappointed with people he engaged with, because everyone wanted to use him for something. Besides that, it seemed so trivial. So pointless. Almost like he was going through the motions each time; physical pleasure, ejaculation, brief moment of post coital euphoria, and emptiness -lather, rinse, repeat. He did bend the truth a little with Barrie, having told her he indulged in casual sexual encounters rarely, when in reality he’d had to have the robotic Ms. Mead keep a record of how many people wanted to fuck him, picking and choosing certain people from a list she kept for him on almost a daily basis. Needless to say, he got bored quickly.

But when he saw how vulnerable she was, how shy, how she so desperately wanted him to touch her but at the same time, she didn’t, even though she found him beautiful. He’d called her endearing, which seemed the most appropriate word. She wasn’t falling at his feet. She had an aura of fear around her that stemmed from something he couldn’t pinpoint, but he knew it had something to do with being wanted in either a sexual or romantic manner. He couldn’t dig into her mind and figure out why she desired such things but wasn’t allowing herself a chance to have it. She had buried it deep down. It wasn’t like anything he had ever seen before; most people he came across who felt lust for sexual pleasure and companionship jumped at the chance for it if presented itself in front of them. Lust was one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and he was used to people giving in to sin at the opportunity. It was one of the things about people that disgusted him, with how easily they caved.

He _was_ morbidly curious to see if she would give in, which is why he partially prodded her at first, but he soon became overwhelmed by his _own_ desire to touch her. Michael knew he wanted to have her, in any way he could.

Something overtook him when he held her hand in his and kissed her knuckles, her cheek, then her neck, followed by her collarbone and finally her lips. Her face was like a magnet to him, but he could sense she wasn’t certain what she wanted. Much like other times in his life, he felt unsure of how to proceed, and this time he had no one to ask for advice or guide him. His next move with her was entirely up to him, so he used his clairvoyance and his sense of intuition to see what she truly desired. He was already drawn to her - her adorable small frame, her curves, her shoulder length brown hair that curled at the tips and had short bangs covering her forehead (which he didn’t see until he’d removed the terrible bun her hair was pulled up in), her pretty hazel eyes, her sarcasm and wit, the cute way she fidgeted in the chair and how she couldn’t look him in the eye, only to shyly stare at him when he would look away. Even in the frumpy, bland Grey uniform dress she was wearing, he thought she was beautiful - the way she carried herself, the confidence he could see poking out at the surface. She’d felt so insecure, and he felt himself wanting to desperately show her what he saw in her. His heart didn’t break easily, but her reactions to him at first nearly tore him in half. He wanted her, not just sexually, and wanted to show her just how truly beautiful she was in his eyes. But, he also didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, another thing that confused him at first since that was something he usually reveled in doing. Instead, he was consumed with an overwhelming desire to be with her but in a more tender, gentle way. 

Michael’s heart swelled when he heard her say to herself that she wanted to kiss his lips, but was scared to. He could have just done it, but instead he chose to ask first, and get her to admit it was what she wanted to be absolutely sure. Up until then, he could see that she was allowing him to kiss her anywhere but her mouth, and he was purposely avoiding it until he he was certain it was what she wanted. He also had an inkling that she would find it a much sexier move to work up to it slowly rather than jump in, and he was glad that she did. 

Still, he couldn’t properly describe the feeling that overtook him when his lips finally touched hers that first time. The feeling of kissing her, undressing her, touching her nearly naked body. He remembered how his eyes widened when he’d first removed her bra; she was apprehensive to let him see her breasts at first, and could hear her thoughts about how she felt self conscious about them. Her frame and height was small to begin with, so he realistically expected them to be at the size they were, already having seen the outline of them through her dress earlier. He knew she had no reason to be worried when he laid his eyes on them, finding them to be not only a perfect size, but he immediately loved them because they were hers. He liked her, already loving her body as she stood before him in her underwear, and was thrilled that he was seeing it in all her natural glory. 

He’d massaged and squeezed her breasts, reflecting on how soft they felt against his palms, and then how hard her nipples got in response to his touch. As he had told her, he marveled at how perfectly they fit in his large hands, taking pleasure in the fact that they were able to be completely covered by him, but still had more than enough flesh to caress. He had seen several different types of naked bodies and truly did not have a preference for any private body part, but he was both fascinated and aroused by the fact that her areolas were on the larger side and took up a portion of her actual breasts. He could sense that was part of her self consciousness that she wasn’t openly admitting to him, but he found them so incredibly sexy, and even more so in the following days when he’d learned how sensitive they were. He loved how she squirmed and moaned when he let his tongue dance over them, and how she held him close to her whenever he would wrap his mouth around them, or kissed them, or even used his teeth. He loved them, in that they were uniquely hers.

He became even more aroused when she asked him to touch her - he’d walked up behind her, to look at her back and his eyes couldn’t help but wander downward. The way her pink panties bunched up slightly made him reach his hand forward and slip it into the cotton, touching the soft skin of her ass. His dominant side came out briefly when he had smacked it, which made him even more hard and his body feel hot when she reacted positively to it. His mind raced as he touched the crotch of her panties, noticing the wet spot on them, and growing more eager knowing that she was nearly ready and that he had made an impact.

He remembered how she had reached forward and kissed his chest softly after she’d removed his shirt, and how both the combination of the new feeling and her making a bold move such as that caused him to feel utterly incredible. 

He remembered how she had trembled underneath him when he ate her pussy for the first time, taking pleasure at how wet and warm it was already because of his actions, and how sweet she tasted to him. Prior to that, while he had performed oral sex on different people (and different sets of genitalia) many times, and generally enjoyed it, he mostly ignored the taste; he was able to use a spell to turn off his taste buds if he ever found it particularly bad. But she tasted _so_ good. Which is why he did so at every chance he did since then, never once allowing her to ask first for it. He had never been so drawn to taste someone as he was with her; he initially was going to do it to help her relax, a prelude to being inside her, since she was clearly very nervous. But the second he opened her legs and began kissing her inner thighs, his mind changed and he felt an urge to taste her for himself too. He considered that perhaps maybe she was just _that_ special to him, that she tasted so wonderful in comparison to any other he had eaten in the past. Having spent multiple times going down on her that past week after, he indeed picked up on what her personal preferences were, in addition to using both his clairvoyance and general intuition to figure out exactly how she liked it, and felt pleased with himself earlier when he heard her think to herself that she appreciated that he paid attention to such details. He could go down on her for hours if she let him, having inhuman stamina, but he knew she got over sensitive and was able to allow her (and him) breaks. 

He knew that she secretly felt self conscious that her thighs were on the thicker side, equally a result of her weight fluctuations she had told him about. He also knew that he fucking loved them and took any opportunity to kiss and tease and touch them, either by themselves or as a preview to going down on her.

He remembered how hypnotized he felt when she rode him that first day, watching her breasts bouncing above him, his eyes enthralled at how deliciously plump and round and beautiful they looked as they moved up and down directly in his line of sight. His hands gripping tightly to her soft, curvy hips as he helped her find a steady thrusting rhythm. She had admitted to him that it had been a long time since she’d had sex, something they had in common and didn’t bother him in the least. He did, however, expect her to be really tight while he was inside her, but she wasn’t so much, which made him feel good knowing that meant he had made her _that_ wet.

He had gotten the idea a long time ago, that if he ever allowed himself to have sex again with someone, he would use one of his rings to tease and pleasure their parts of whatever their genitalia was; he chose to do it with her at random, and was pleased at how it helped push to her climax when he’d pressed it against her swollen clit. He remembered her eyes staring back at him for the first time underneath him when he flipped her over to be on top, feeling overcome with pleasure as she came around his cock, feeling himself about to explode and pulled out quickly, nearly falling but bracing himself and choosing instead to use his power of transmutation onto the floor when she wasn’t looking to break his fall. 

He remembered how she looked later that day in the shower, the water dripping down her back, his perfect view of her perfect ass that he couldn’t help but dig his fingers into, and how even more turned on he got when she asked him to fuck her from behind right there under the hot water spraying on both of their bodies. Even the simple act of washing her body felt so sensual to him. He had never showered with anyone before, so he was amazed at how much softer the warm water and soap made her breasts, stomach, and generally her skin. He recalled how it felt when he was deep inside her, and how he felt when she yanked his long hair as it spilled over her shoulders. When she had done that, he was gone, and came so hard and fast that he had slipped on the wet tiled floor and fell backwards, having the wind knocked completely out of him. He had been thrown so off guard he hadn’t remembered to transmutate so not to fall.

When she was comfortable enough, that confidence in her, such as when she pulled his hair in the shower, that he saw poking beneath her facade shown through and was the sexiest thing in the world to him.

Michael had wanted more. He wanted to know more about this woman. He wanted to be with her. He’d told her the truth - if he had really just fucked her to fulfill some basic human need that he had been denying himself for so long, he would have simply had her come to his office and not his room, for a normal interview. He could see her letting her guard down and allowing herself to become close to him, and in so, she treated him with kindness. Her sweet demeanor, her spunk, her overall goodness - the polar opposite of what he was, fascinated him endlessly.

That first time they cuddled in his bed after a bought of rougher sex that following morning, his adoration and respect for her kept building. Most of the people he’d slept with in the past didn’t allow him an opportunity to do such a thing, making him feel like he was being used, merely a chance for them to humble brag about how they had fucked the Antichrist. He sensed she wanted to keep things casual and tried to disconnect from feeling too intimate with him, but he knew she also wanted it as desperately as he secretly did. That first time they had sex in his bed, he took a chance after and was happy that she responded well to allowing him to impulsively put his arms around and hold her close to him, even though she seemed confused by it. It only felt natural to him to want to hold her close to his warm body and lay with her, assuring her that she wasn’t just a plaything to him, but rather a whole person whom he wanted to enjoy the afterglow with. When she gave in and laid on his chest, he didn’t want to stop touching her. So he did, taking in all of her, caressing her bare breasts occasionally but mostly allowing himself to touch other parts of her that weren’t meant to be sexual. He held her, and felt as if he could stay like that forever if it was possible. 

That next morning, after she had spent the night in his room, when he woke up next to her, he felt more content than he had in a long time. Even when he went to wake her up as she had requested him to do, and saw her with bed head, sleepy eyes, and saw that she was a little cranky upon waking - he loved it, and genuinely meant it when he said he could get used to it. It showed him that while she was perfect to him, she was still flawed in some ways, just as he knew he was flawed in so many ways himself. (He also couldn’t deny how cute she was to him when she was annoyed.) He was shocked, yet also found it sweet, when she admitted that she felt she had made things uncomfortable between them the night before, when the reality was in his mind, he was already developing feelings for her. 

She wasn’t like the others. Especially not the others who wanted him in that compound. He knew Coco wanted him as well, but he found her annoying and irritating, like a fly constantly buzzing in his ear. He’d told her she had no dark places, that true darkness required a certain depth of character and she was much too shallow for any kind of meaningful negativity. 

He’d allowed himself to open up and become vulnerable with Barrie. His Satanic urges lay mostly dormant when he was with her, but he knew they occasionally came out when he was at his most emotionally raw; his white face and blackened eyes, what his old adversaries had referred to as The White Face Demon, usually only came to the surface when he allowed it to or chose to show it to someone, usually to intimidate them. With her, it came out by accident, generally right before he ejaculated while engaging in sex with her. At his most emotional moments. 

His heart broke a second time when the demon inside him took hold the first night she spent in his room. She’d caught him off guard when she stroked his hard cock while he was eating her, reminding him of how excited he got when she had touched him in the shower the previous day. The White Face Demon showed by accident and scared her, and briefly took over when he’d tried to force his cock down her throat in response. He was thankful every day since that his human side took over when her saw her crying, and he would still never forgive himself for almost harming her.

He normally took pleasure in doing so with others - he loved torture, he loved being a sadist, he loved manipulating people. He loved playing with his metaphorical food before eating it. But with her - something broke inside. It broke even more when he finally cracked through her emotional facade that night and she had told him about her history of sexual assault. It made sense to him then why she seemed scared to allow him to grow close, to allow herself to trust him and show that same vulnerability he was equally scared to share with someone. He’d opened up to her as well, telling her in vague terms about his life with Ms. Mead, making brief mention of his grandmother, but careful not to share anything too specific. He already liked her, as he had told her, but that night was the night they grew intimate on an emotional level. It was in those moments were when he told her she’d passed, that he was admitting to himself that he was falling for her (although it took a couple more days before he finally told her). He wanted to hold her and protect her from everything the world had done to destroy her, even if that meant hiding the fact that he himself had destroyed the world. 

He had stayed with his arms around her as she slept, not wanting to leave, but the “errand” he’d had to tend to, was that he sensed that the demon in black latex, whom had been hiding away in the small room behind his dresser where he performed his rituals, was getting restless. Michael made certain that the demon didn’t leave his room until Barrie had fallen asleep. Using his magic to get himself fully dressed, he’d followed the rubber suit demon and watched from afar as it lured Gallant back to his room yet again. He watched as the hairdresser took a pair of scissors and stabbed the demon in the neck, thinking it was Michael, only to have Michael swing the door open and stand there. The spell wore off, the demon disappeared (Michael had made sure it wasn’t going to appear again), and Gallant looked visibly disturbed when he realized he had actually stabbed Evie, his own grandmother, to death in her bed. Michael left the hairdresser alone coldly, and returned to his room. He felt pleased with himself and felt he had equally pleased his Father. Yet, his inner demonic side softened once again when he’d returned to his room and saw the beautiful, small woman with brown hair sleeping soundly in his bed. He was already quite smitten with her, removing his clothes and lying next to her, making sure to gently wrap his body into hers as to not wake her. He’d never actually _slept_ with anyone, as in beside them and spent the entire night with them. This was a new experience for him, which is why he had asked her if she wanted to stay. He adored watching her breasts move up and down slowly in tune with her slow breathing, so much that he chose to lay his head directly on them and fell asleep against the soft mounds, smiling to himself. He hadn’t ever felt like he was feeling before, and he knew he never wanted it to end.

Everything he had told her was true - he certainly had never fucked anyone in the other American Outposts he had spent the last year visiting and ultimately, allowing the inhabitants of those to destroy themselves (including those coked out bowl cut nerds Jeff Pfister and Mutt Nutter, who’s only redeeming quality was that they had created him a robot version of Ms. Mead and placed her in Outpost 3. When he found out that they had been controlling her and using him as their personal puppet, he took pleasure in killing them himself before letting the other inhabitants of Outpost 2 in West Virginia, where they resided, go down with that ship). He certainly had come close in some cases, using his good looks, charm and seductive methods as a means of torture. He had done just that with Ms. Venable during her interrogation interview, which occurred merely an hour before he gave in to his fascination with Barrie and decided to call her into his office. He had played a psychosexual game with Venable, one he had done many times before with women and men alike, getting off on the power he felt from it. He’d touched his crotch in front of her as an intimidation tactic, unzipped her dress to make him show him her scoliosis and ultimately a main reason for her bitterness; he took great, sadistic joy in making her let her guard down to the point where she cried, and reached out to kiss him, only for him make it look like he was going to kiss her back, and then pull away at the last second to tell her she didn’t pass his test. He had been brutal with her, and would have been more so if Ms. Mead hadn’t interrupted and pulled Venable away. He took delight in knowing she clearly hated him for humiliating her like that, and she still harbored resentment towards him for in the following days as she would shoot him the dirtiest looks when they passed each other in the halls. How he nearly decided to kill her and set her soul ablaze in order to allow her to pardon the young couple with the perfect DNA, and allow the sexual contact ban to be lifted (which, of course, was also for his personal benefit, and for his Barrie’s safety). 

He still found it ironic how merely an hour after putting the megalomaniac Venable in her place, he let his own guard down and allowed himself to kiss someone for real, something he hadn’t done in a long time and never truly felt anything from. He’d heard, seen in movies, read in books how kissing someone could make you feel electric, but he hadn’t ever felt it until Barrie. She was far from the only person he had kissed, using it to his advantage in the past, as an intimidation tactic like with Venable, or as merely a prelude to sex. 

Which is why he often found himself kissing her, on varying parts of her body, whenever he could. He’d gotten so used to using and teasing sex as a game in the last year and a half, that he was nearly overwhelmed with how he desired it with Barrie, taking every opportunity to touch her, and feeling that very emotional connection she’d said she herself needed to feel in order to give herself to someone in that physically intimate way. It was, of course, never just about anything physical with him. She was kind and good, sweet, strong - he admired her immensely for dealing with the violence brought upon her and bouncing back from it. He always was drawn to strong women, after all. He could sense her inner strength from the beginning. He knew, like himself, that she had been a broken and abused person in her old life, just as he had been. That was probably what also drew him to her. He adored her resilience and knew she could do anything she set her mind to.

He knew he loved her because he never felt a need to be harsh or unrelenting with her. He too, was also hiding behind his own facade of insecurity. He had never been 100% certain of his fate. He always needed guidance from someone else, which is why losing Ms. Mead destroyed him. Even with all the power he held, and how powerful he was now compared to when he had first begun his journey, the life of the son of Satan was a lonely one. He didn’t want to play those same power games with Barrie that he enjoyed inflicting on everyone else. 

He had managed to channel some of his urges for loving torture and manipulation into the form of teasing her sexually, denying her orgasms on occasion, edging her, and being only mildly dominant in bed with her. In the last week, switching between loving and gentle and rougher and dominating, to a level she was comfortable with, had become one of his favorite things to do. The fact that he was holding back a ton because he knew she had a history of sexual violence and didn’t want to _actually_ hurt her in any way was a big sign to him that he really loved her. Which isn’t to say he didn’t enjoy soft, slower sex, but he was masterfully able to combine the two. He fucking _loved_ to tease her, and was positive she loved him doing it considering how she often poked fun at him for doing so. He truly meant it when he had told her he wouldn’t do anything without her consent, and even if she never came around to anything more than what they were already doing, he didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything except her, and her well being. He cared for her more than he cared for himself. That was how he knew.

 

These thoughts came to a head. He had been the most vulnerable with her that very afternoon. When she discovered his secret ritual, he was scared to death, terrified that once again someone he cared for so deeply would abandon him after he allowed himself to grow close to them. Once they saw him for who he truly was. But she hadn’t - she stayed. She stayed, and he‘d  _made_ _love_ to her, despite being covered from head to toe in his own dried blood; not fucked, not had sex, he knew they had made love. A term he had only heard, but never truly understood until then. He’d cried real, genuine tears during their lovemaking and opened up to her emotionally. He’d confessed how he was finally feeling to her after it was over. To his delight, she felt the same. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt such happiness. Not since he lived with Ms. Mead.

He’d specifically chosen the word _partner_  when he admitted afterwards that he wanted to secure their relationship. He wasn’t a fan of labels, finding them trivial, but with her insecurities (and being able to read her thoughts anyway), he felt it would be far more comforting to her to assure her that she was his and only his. He also liked the way it sounded: she was his equal, his lover, his friend, something he’d never had and never imagined that he ever would. He didn’t have time to waste, and only knew how to move fast in his life - the quickness of the whole situation didn’t seem wrong or strange to him, because that was all he knew. Except for Ms. Mead, he couldn’t imagine anyone else by his side when he was given the world his Father and everyone else had promised him. He was still processing it all - up until now, he always felt Ms. Mead was the only woman who had (or would) ever loved or understood him. 

His thoughts then shifted to his Ms. Mead, who’s android form was still roaming Outpost 3 as Ms. Venable’s sidekick, her AI still wiped of her memories of raising him as a boy, and her subsequent death. He knew that she was aware of what she truly was after the incident with Timothy and Emily - he had been informed that when they were taken into the decontamination room, Timothy had grabbed the gun from the Fist and turned it on Ms. Mead, who as a result bled out slightly in the form of some white electronic fluids. She remembered that she was not human, but still did not recall that she was once Michael’s adoptive mother.

He felt nearly embarrassed at the thought. What would she say if she saw him now? The Antichrist, who was sideswiping his path because he had allowed himself to fall in love with someone. He knew his Father would be disappointed in him, which is why he still spoke to him, assuring that it wouldn’t deviate from his destiny.

Michael had let his human side take over for the first time since the bombs fell. He didn’t know what would come next. He was still waiting, to finally let the android version of Ms. Mead know that he wanted her along with his Barrie, his love, by his side as he ruled and remade the world. He just had to wait for a sign from his Father, to let him know what to do with the lone witch he had discovered in Outpost 3.

That’s when he also remembered the reason he had done the ritual in the first place that day, which he had completely forgotten, albeit temporarily.

He had discovered a witch.

 

He truly thought he had killed all of them, even though he knew deep down it was a matter of time before Cordelia Goode came back (and he knew he would deal with her again when the time came). He then thought briefly of Cordelia, whom he still swore to avenge. He laughed to himself, thinking if she, wherever she was hiding, could also see him now. She had once told him she saw humanity in him, and offered to help him, only for him to turn it away. He had two choices - Barrie opened up his humanity, that he hadn’t allowed in. He could give in to that. Or, he could convince her to join him and be by his side, forever, with Ms. Mead, and rule the world. For now, he wanted to finish his duty at the Outpost and revel in whatever time he had left with her before the magical shit hit the fan so to speak - he put those thoughts aside, figuring they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

In the meantime, he had another problem on his hands.

 _Mallory_. 

She displayed extraordinary powers during her interview. She had scared him, most definitely. He knew what had to be done: she had to be destroyed.

He also sat in his chair, conflicted. He knew a problem was presenting itself, one he normally would have paid no mind to, but he did.

 

The witch that he needed to destroy was his love’s best friend. The only other person she had, and cared for in that compound. He was torn - torn between his love, and his never-ending quench for revenge. The witches had killed his original Ms. Mead, and his two warlock allies, Ariel Augustus and Baldwin Pennypacker. Even now, nearly three years later, he knew he still wanted to make them pay. He just needed a sign. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing smutty blurbs from a man’s point of view, and I also tried to stay in character. We all know Michael is complex. I’m also still going off what Cody Fern has said about him, that in his mind, Michael is turned on mostly by power and manipulation. I tried to incorporate that into what he’s feeling, hinting that he’s channeling those urges with her in the form of lightly dominating her in the bedroom, and I felt it was important to note that one of his big insights that he’s in love with her is because he wants to protect her and not hurt her, when normally he leans in to playing mind games. Felt it made for a good contrast.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: mentions of suicide and depression in here 
> 
> I re-ordered and rewrote some chapters. In conjunction with the last chapter, I figured for the sake of character/relationship development, I would have Barrie discuss her own past with Michael that she was ashamed to admit. I felt this was pretty important to include - a big facet at why they’re so drawn to each other so quickly is because Michael knows she’s accepting of him (at least so far... I’ve kept him pretty low key obviously, in a way he’s still hiding a lot of himself from her, in case he seems out of character. We’ll work up to that, I swear!) and he also accepts her for who she is. 
> 
> I also thought it would be kind of cute to have him demonstrating some of his Antichrist powers to her, so I included that. I didn’t make her intentionally naive. Basically, in my head canon, she comes from a background of being very non religious, so she only has a mild understanding of what the Antichrist actually is, or what he’s truly capable of. In my other head canon, Michael is hiding those parts and working up to it because he wants to know she won’t leave him. We’ll get there! 
> 
> So, enjoy this mostly fluffy and angsty chapter. Also, I figured for the sake of the story, better show them doing something besides having lots of sex. Granted, there isn’t much to do in the Outpost as it is, but this is good for the two of them to build some emotional intimacy as well. Enjoy, it’s a short one.

_The_ _Antichrist_. 

His words and the marking on the back of his ear. The ritual. The snakes. The unnatural rapid healing of the cuts on his arms that left no evidence of ever having been there. Michael had told me he wanted to show me some of his other “abilities”, but what I had seen thus far was supernatural in nature. Not to mention the white face and black eyes...

 

I knew all of this.

Thousands of things were swirling around in my head.

Mallory had called him evil.

 

He was all these things.

And I was in love with him.

 

_Talk about a fucking existential crisis._

  

Despite this, and possibly against my better judgement, I still loved him and wanted to be with him. Maybe it was because I had no one else besides Mallory in the life that had been assigned to me in this new world.

Part of me was also selfish for a new life in the Sanctuary, a life of possible normalcy that a relationship with Michael could bring. I still wanted to attempt to convince him to bring Mallory with us somehow, but wanted to wait and see if he would even choose her.

 

My therapist back in the old world would have a goddamn field day with this, if she knew.

 

* * *

 

 

Dinner came and went uneventfully that evening. I kept tight lipped around Mallory and figured it was best she didn’t know about the ritual. I grabbed some more of my things from my room when I was dismissed for the night and headed to Michael’s room through the other hallway.

His door closed, I looked around to see if anyone was there before knocking.

“Yes?” I heard his voice echo from inside.

“It’s me. Are you decent?” I asked jokingly.

“Not quite. Come in anyway”.

Not knowing what he could have been up to, I opened the door and shut it behind me quickly, and stood there jaw dropped at the sight: Michael was lying on his bed with his computer open on his lap, and he was completely naked.

“Is this your idea of showing up for me with candles and rose petals or something?” I asked, putting my stuff down and shaking my head in amusement. I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight in front of me.

“Didn’t think you were the type for grand romantic gestures”, he replied, turning to face me over his screen. “Besides, I thought you would find this funny”.

“Oh, it’s _hilarious_ ”, I said, laughing finally at the situation. “Even more so that you’re working”.

“If I wasn’t behind in it, I wouldn’t be”, he said. “Truth is, I can’t really pull myself away from this just yet, but when you knocked I wanted to be ready for your entrance, and save myself the trouble of undressing later”. He winked at me and patted the spot on the bed next to him. “Come join me”.

“Even though you’re busy?” I asked. “I can go and come back later”.

“Don’t do that”, he said firmly. “Come”.

I approached the bed, kicking my shoes off and situated myself next to him, still laughing to myself at the image of Michael lying naked next to me with his computer on his lap. I undid the bun in my hair, placing the hair ties on his nightstand, propped some pillows against my head and crossed my legs. He put his laptop down in front of him for a moment, scooted over, slid his arm around me and kissed my ear and neck before finally settling on my lips.

“What’s gotten into you?” I asked him teasingly.

“I missed you”, he said, flashing a huge smile at me.

I felt my face turn red right there and a knot forming in my stomach. For someone who claimed he was the Antichrist, he was an absolute fucking angel.

“Angel? Hardly”, he said. “Oh, you don’t have to get undressed yet”, he added as I went to slip out of my dress. “It’s not necessary, and besides, I won’t be able to concentrate on my work if you’re naked next to me”.

“And yet you expect me to while you are next to me in the nude”, I joked to him, laying down and cuddling into his arm.

“If I’m being completely honest”, he said. “I wasn’t entirely sure you would be coming back. I was confident you would, but also...” He trailed off. “I just want to know you aren’t scared of me or my abilities”.

“Abilities?” I asked curiously. “You mean you can hear my thoughts? I had a feeling. But I still don’t know how or why”.

“Oh, my sweet yet naive Barrie”, he said, looking down at me and kissing the top of my head. “You haven’t quite grasped this Antichrist concept yet, have you?”

“Maybe I haven’t”, I said honestly. “Can you blame me? I’m only half Catholic by birth, half Jewish on my father’s side. I wasn’t raised very religious. I don’t think I’ve ever picked up a bible. I mean, no offense...”

”Oh, none taken at all, my love”, Michael chuckled. 

“I’ve seen bits on the news in the past,” I continued. “I’ve heard the stories about witches and warlocks existing in the world. But I haven’t met any, so I don’t know much about it, and I’ve never seen it in real life”.

“So I’ve been gifted with certain abilities”, he said, looking at me straight in the eye. “It’s similar to a warlock. I trained with some, in fact, in my youth. My ‘talent’ for seeing into the dark places? I can also read minds and a person’s innermost thoughts, or desires, that much is true. It’s called _clairvoyance_ ”.

“Wait”, I said. “So.... you _have_ been reading my thoughts?”

“Thoughts and desires”, he said in response, pushing my bangs out of my face. “I can also sense people and their actions around me. I can see what people are doing”.

“So you’ve known everything I’ve been thinking about you?” I said. “From the beginning?”

“Of course”, he replied. “From the very beginning. I was flattered listening to what you thought of me during our interview, which is what gave me some motivation to make a move. I assumed it would be well received.”

“Well”, I said, certain my face was flushed with emotion. “I’m embarrassed now”.

“Please, don’t be”, Michael replied, taking my hand in his and placing a gentle kiss on the back of my palm. “It was encouraging for me, not to mention I found it incredibly sweet and endearing. Much like I still find you. You were so apprehensive of me those first couple of days. Even when I was affectionate with you. You still are to an extent, but you’re growing with each day that passes. I do understand why now though, given your history”. 

“I - I just, I was so afraid to trust someone”, I said, feeling tears welling up already. “I shut that part off of myself for so long. There was a point in my life where I let myself be able to be physical with someone, but I shut out anything else. There’s more than just that. I feel like there’s still so much about myself I haven’t told you. I have a history of depression, mental illness, anxiety, ADHD...”

“You didn’t have to tell me any of that”, Michael cut me off. “I already know. I read all your thoughts. I can sense parts of your past when I touch you. I’ve seen flashes of everything you’ve been through. Of your history. None of it matters to me.”

“When I had that panic attack the other day, after Evie”, I said, no longer holding back my tears. “That was a mild one and an actual real trigger. You haven’t seen my bad ones. You haven’t seen me freak out over nothing. I once had a serious panic attack because I...” I paused, not realizing I hadn’t told him something about me. About where I had been in the months leading up to the bombs falling.

Michael reached his hand up and caressed my face with his fingers. He wiped his thumb under both my eyes as he leaned in and pressed soft kisses on both my cheeks. “It’s okay”, he said quietly. “I know. I know you had a suicide attempt and checked yourself into a psychiatric ward for a week three months before the bombs”.

 _Wow_ , I thought to myself. Whatever this clairvoyance ability was, Michael hadn’t been lying. I hadn’t told him that at all, and clearly he could tell I had just been thinking it.

“When I was in the hospital”, I said, trying not to stammer. “On my first day, I took a shower and didn’t pull the shower curtain inside like the sign had said to do. It caused a minor flood in my bathroom. I had a panic attack over that, even though it was fixed pretty quickly. That’s what I mean. My anxiety comes out even at the smallest things sometimes. I’m always scared of something. I’m always internally stressed.”

“Interesting”, Michael said as he held me closer to him. “Aside from Evie, and that had every right to make you anxious, you’ve seemed quite all right with me this last week. If you have all these anxiety attacks as you say, over little things, I’ve yet to see it”.

I took a deep breath, and said what I hadn’t realized yet until then. “It’s because of you, I think”, I said quietly. “You make me feel comfortable. I feel a sense of security with you, in a strange way. Like I still fear things, but I know... I know you’ll protect me? I just know you will”.

“Absolutely”, Michael responded. He turned my face to look him, and the look of softness in his eyes was genuine. “I can’t tell you how moved I am that you had these walls built up around you, and you decided to let me in. If you have a panic attack, I’ll help you get through it like I did the other day. You’re so strong and your resilience is so admirable. That’s part of what I love about you. I could sense it from the beginning and I think that was why I was so drawn to you. You walked in on my ritual and you were scared, but you stayed. You were afraid, and I was terrified you would leave. Everyone I’ve ever truly cared for, as I’ve told you, has left me. You didn’t leave. And that’s all I could ever ask for.”

He reached forward and stroked my hair. “Also”, he continued, lowering his voice. “If you ever get those suicidal urges again, please tell me. Whatever you feel, whatever you’re going through, tell me - I’ll help you through it. I lost my grandmother that way, and I found her right after it happened. It destroyed me. I can’t let that happen again with you. Promise me?” 

I felt myself blushing and crying again. Michael kept wiping my tears. 

“I promise”, I said. I felt very emotional, feeling an overwhelming urge of love for him in that moment. I decided to change the subject.

“After we, uh, finished today”, I said, figuring I would ask about something that I had been wondering the entire day. “Your body felt really hot and the air in the room...”

“Unfortunate side effect of being the son of the king of the underworld, I suppose”, Michael said with a smirk. “It was much worse when I was younger. I often had to sleep in my underwear because it was the worst at night. I’ve learned to control it somewhat now, which is why you haven’t felt it, but now that I can allow you to see it, prepare yourself. It does have its perks. You won’t be cold at night when I lay next to you”. Michael slid closer and put both arms around me. I could already feel what he had been saying - his skin felt hot, almost inhumanly.

“You weren’t kidding”, I said to him, flinching a bit at the heated tingles radiating from him. I was ridiculously curious now.

“What else can do you?” I asked. “Actually- there’s a few times where you’ve just appeared somewhere and I didn’t see you move...”

“I had a feeling you would ask about that”, Michael said. “Let me demonstrate”.

Without warning, he disappeared completely from the bed. Taken aback, I gasped.

“This is one of my favorite hiding spots”, I heard his voice from above. I looked up to see him on the ceiling directly above the bed, but only for a second before disappearing again and reappearing on the opposite side of the room. He chuckled as he saw my reaction to him, staring at him with my mouth open as he once again disappeared and reappeared next to me on the bed.

“What the _hell_?!” I said in amazement. I actually pinched my arm to see if I was dreaming, squirming when I felt that it hurt.

“You aren’t dreaming”, he said firmly. “That was called _transmutation_. It’s basically a form of teleporting. The ability to move from one place to another in an instant without occupying space. At least, that’s what my warlock teachers told me when they tested me for it”.

“Well, I’m officially jealous”, I said with a laugh. “You have my most wanted superpower”.

Michael laughed heartily and leaned in for a kiss. “You are far too adorable for words”, he said quietly as he pulled his face away. “There’s so much more I can do, and I can’t wait to show you it all. What else do you want to know?”

I thought for a second. “Show me something. Anything.” I was fascinated and wanted to know everything he was capable of.

Michael sat up and made a wave of his hand in a smooth, fluid motion. In an instant, he was suddenly fully dressed.

“That was pretty simple”, he said with a smirk. “I was like this when you knocked, in fact. It took nothing more than a wave and magic to remove my clothes completely. I can also do this- “

He made another fluid hand motion and I saw the door to his dresser swing open, and then shut again.

“You might have noticed that I rarely ever use my hands to open and close a door”, he said.

I had noticed, in fact, that he almost never did, including the sliding doors to his office.

“So...” I said, wanting to understand everything. “When you were hiding from Mallory in my bathroom... I didn’t hear you even come out. Did you transmutate? The teleporting thing?”

“Indeed I did”, he replied. “And that first day, after we finished. You hadn’t seen me roll off the loveseat in my office. Because technically, I hadn’t. I felt myself about to and decided to transmutate instead. Although, I do have to admit that you threw me for a loop in the shower. I completely forgot to and slipped, hence why I fell backward. That was part of where I started being incredibly impressed by you.”

“Now you’re just embarrassing me”, I said. Michael reached one of his hands over and laced his fingers through mine.

“I hope I’m allowed to hold your hand now that we’re alone”, he said with a wink, and I playfully smacked him on the arm.

“Hey, in my defense, I didn’t realize you were in love with me yet”, I said, grinning at him. “I kind of thought we were still just messing around, and -“

“And you also didn’t realize you were in love with _me_ , yet”, Michael replied.

“Oh geez, so now that you admit you know everything I’m thinking, you’re just gonna finish all my sentences?” I said, laughing as I scooted closer to him. “That’s gonna get really fucking annoying after a while, you know”.

“Well, you better get used to it”, Michael said as he leaned in and kissed me.

We laid there silent for a bit, just staring at each other on our sides and holding hands, with our legs intertwined.

Michael broke the silence eventually. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

I paused, thinking to myself. I had been caught up staring into his eyes and studying their ocean blue hues, admiring at how his bits of red eyeshadow made their bright colors stand out even more. 

“You said you trained with warlocks”, I said. “Have you met any witches?” 

Michael suddenly got very quiet, and had an extremely serious and stern look on his face. 

“I - I would rather not talk about that, if you don’t mind”, he said after a couple minutes of somewhat uncomfortable silence. “Can you ask something else?” 

“Um”... I said quietly, and said the silliest thing I could come up with. “What’s your middle name?” Feeling I had felt like I had struck a nerve by asking if he knew any witches, I was anxious to lighten the mood.  

He smiled and laughed. “I don’t have one”, he responded. “If I do, I was never told it. That was really cute that you asked though. Nobody ever has.” He reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. “What’s yours?”

“Ann”, I replied. “My full name is Barrie Ann”.

“I already knew that”, Michael said. “It’s in your file after all”.

“Oh”, I said, feeling stupid and not realizing that, _of_ _course_ it was.

“But I still wanted to hear you say it”, he continued. “Because it’s beautiful to hear you say your full name for once”.

Even after this amount of time, he still knew how to make me blush.

“Didn’t you have work to do?” I suddenly remembered, not wanting to keep him.

“Yes”, he said. “This is better. I’m... I’m so... I’m so fucking happy. I can’t remember the last time I was. Not since...”

“Since when?” I asked curiously.

Michael paused. He sighed deeply, before reaching up to touch my face. “Not since I lived with the woman who raised me. Since my childhood. Since before they took her from me...”

“Since who took her?” I asked. “You never told me exactly what happened to her”.

Michael didn’t respond. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine.

“I really do want to tell you everything”, he said quietly. “I love you. I want you to know my past. Including some things you may hate me for, but I want you to know me. I know that’s what you want.”

“Tell me”, I said, reaching out and kissing him gently. “Tell me it all”.

“I would rather show you”, he said as he pulled away from the kiss. “I haven’t tried this before, but I would like to try it with you. It’s a spell that allows dream sharing. It will only work when we are both asleep. We will share a dream that is also inside one of my memories. It also can be a way for us to get outside of the Outpost, even temporarily”.

“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?!” I asked excitedly.

“Well, technically speaking”, Michael said. “It won’t be real. You will feel everything, but we’ll be in the past. In a memory of something that happened to me before the apocalypse. This might be a way for me to show you what has happened in my life, and hopefully allow you to see my true purpose. I want nothing more than for you to fully understand.”

“It sounds intense”, I said, being honest. “Will it work on me? Since I don’t have any magical abilities.”

“It should”, he replied. “Would you like to try when we fall asleep later?”

“Yes”, I said. “Yes. Please.”

“Excellent”, he said, suddenly standing off the bed. “Actually, I do think I should get some work done for a bit. I’ll come join you shortly. You can fall asleep if you want, and if you can’t, I’ll just get you tired”. Michael winked and I smirked at him. His suggestive remarks would be the death of me. 

He took his computer over to his desk and I unzipped myself out of my uniform, curling into Michael’s sheets in my bra and panties. I laid on my side and watched him type away at his computer, admiring his flowing long hair behind his back. After about a half hour, he closed the laptop and turned to me, did a wave of his hand and in an instant, he was naked again, the clothes from his body folded neatly on his desk.

“Now you’re just showing off”, I teased him as he climbed into bed. 

We made love for what felt like hours that night, and as we began to fall asleep, I heard Michael chanting to himself in a language that I wasn't familiar with. I was excited for this dream sharing experience. Not realizing that it would be the second phase of everything changing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A while ago, I got this idea to drag the story out and keep it more canon by giving Michael the ability to cast a spell that allows him and Barrie to explore his memories through lucid, shared dreams. This will give more of a story and eventually work up to her realizing what he truly is (since she’s still kind of in the dark about it, and Michael isn’t being 100% honest with her yet), by showing her his past. 
> 
> This chapter takes place inside the first dream memory, during the beginning of “Sojourn”, episode 8 of Apocalypse. I thought it would also be cute, for the sake of having them out of the Outpost, to have kind of a date in the woods before Michael’s younger self shows up to try and summon Satan and stays there for days. 
> 
> Be prepared, it’s super fluffy... until it’s not. Heh ;D

The last thing I remembered was falling asleep next to Michael in his bed.

When my eyes opened, I was beyond surprised at what I saw.

 

I was no longer in the Outpost. I was outside - it was bright out, and there seemed to be no hint of radiation or horribly polluted oxygen. The air around me smelled fresh of leaves and pine, and I realized I was in what looked like an area of forest. Large trees, bushes, and dirt surrounded me and I heard birds chirping. I saw a small brown object with hints of black move a few feet away from me, and realized it was a chipmunk scurrying up a tree.

The other thing I noticed was that my legs felt covered by a long forgotten, but familiar fabric. I looked down at my body - I wasn’t wearing the drab Grey uniform dress and apron, nor the clunky shoes the Outpost provided. Instead, I was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans, a thin black zip up hoodie (which I opened a bit to reveal a plain white crewneck T-shirt underneath), and my feet were adorned with my favorite pair of canvas black Asics sneakers that I had loved to wear prior to the apocalypse. I still had them with me in the Outpost, but hadn’t worn them since I had arrived there eighteen months earlier due to Ms. Venable’s strict dress code.

 I took a deep breath and took in the smell of the fresh air around me.

 “Enjoying yourself?” I heard a familiar voice behind me, turning to see Michael standing a few inches away leaning against a tree. He was dressed in his normal, fashionable black clothes as he typically wore in the Outpost, with the notable exception being he was also adorned with his long black cape that I hadn’t seen him wear since he arrived that first day he approached us in the library.

 “Michael”, I said in shock, still taking in everything around me. “What - what is this? Where are we?”

 “Angeles National Forest”, he replied, stepping towards me.

 “You mean, near LA?” I asked.

 “Of course”, he said. “Also, technically speaking, none of this is real, although it certainly does feel like it, doesn’t it?”

 “I can’t even believe this!” I exclaimed. “It doesn’t feel like there’s even any radiation around-“

 “Oh, because there isn’t”, Michael interrupted, facing me now and holding my hands in his. “I felt like since there isn’t much for us to do in the Outpost, I thought it would be fun for us have a change of scenery and perhaps have a proper date of sorts. The spell I’ve cast is rather unpredictable however, so let me just warn you - since this is a memory of something that happened to me, a vision of my past self will be showing up here at some point, and you may likely see me. Though, this vision will not be able to see or hear you. And I don’t know exactly when I - or past me, rather - will be showing up. It’s somewhat erratic and could be anywhere from minutes from now to a day or two.”

“So is this is the shared dream?” I asked curiously, still looking around. “The last thing I remember was us sleeping in your bed”. 

“Something like that”, he replied, turning me around. “Memory sharing works best with someone else when we’re both asleep. I’ve never done this, as I told you, so I make no guarantees for perfection”. 

“My - my clothes...”, I started to say.

“I read your thoughts of course, my love”, Michael said, reaching his arms down around my waist and placing his hands in the front pockets of my hoodie. “I thought it would be more enjoyable for you if you were in something more comfortable than the awful Grey clothing you’re forced to endure daily”.

“This is what I loved to wear before”, I said, “These are my exact clothes!” However, I suddenly felt self conscious. “You probably are judging my lack of interest in fashion. They seem so basic compared to yours...”

“Nonsense”, Michael responded, brushing my hair away from my ear and kissing behind my neck lightly. “I love how you look no matter what you wear. Also, seeing how happy and comfortable you are, you’re absolutely adorable. You’re radiating and shining brighter than I’ve ever seen you right now. I can tell it’s because you’re in your natural state, which I’ve never seen you in. I didn’t think it was possible, but you look more beautiful than ever”.

“You are such a sweet talker”, I sighed as I leaned in to his chest, still absorbing the sights around me.

“But I know you like it”, he purred. “Besides, you and I both hate your Grey uniform from the Outpost. If I cared about what someone was wearing, I wouldn’t have been attracted to you at all. I think your confidence is shining through most right now, which is what makes you so much more radiant to me. It’s there, and I love when it pokes through the surface.” 

“It’s funny”, I mused. “I was never super big on nature before, but after being cooped up inside and being devoid of it for so long, I realized I missed all this. Though I’m not sure what kind of ‘date’ we can have in the woods”.

“Oh, don’t worry. I already have something planned”. Michael pulled away from me and extended his hand out.

“Would you like to take a walk?” He asked.

“Sure”, I said, taking his hand and allowing him to lead me.

 

We spent a good amount of time simply walking and talking, and enjoying each other’s company, Michael holding my hand as we strolled for what seemed like an hour or two. The sights and sounds, the feeling of my shoes against the twigs and dead leaves, the crisp, cool air - I missed it all. I hadn’t realized exactly how much I missed it until that moment. It all felt so real, and I teared up more than once, understanding that it was technically just a dream flashback, but being with Michael felt magical. Walking along the ground with him, holding his hand in mine, and breathing the air around me, which was ironic considering I could see bits of the smog of Los Angeles off in the distance. (I had to give him credit for nailing the details, at least.)

We came up to a small clearing where there weren’t too many branches strewn around, and Michael stopped in his tracks. “It’s going to get dark soon”, he said. “But I think this is the spot”. 

“What spot?” I asked. 

He let out a long sigh. “The memory that we’re in”, he said quietly, “isn’t exactly a happy one. It’s from the aftermath of the worst day of my life. The day I lost the woman who was like a mother to me. I came up here that day to spend some time thinking, and hopefully hear from my Father. I spent four days up here, in this very spot, alone, and without food or water, waiting for a sign”.

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as Michael told his story. “If it’s such a sad memory, why did you bring me here?” I asked curiously.

“Because even in my haunted past, this was still a place of peace and solitude. It was a spot where I reached a turning point in my life. And there was still some beauty to be appreciated in this fucking shit world then. This was a perfect spot for sunrises and sunsets, which were a small saving grace through those horrible few days. I thought maybe you would like to see one of them again for once. Or both.”

He looked down at me and placed his hand on my cheek, leaning forward to kiss my forehead. “Let’s just watch the sunset together and forget about the bad things”.

“I’m still having trouble believing you’re the supposed Antichrist”, I said, smiling wide and tearing up still. “You have such a sweet, beautiful soul. You’re like an angel”.

“I doubt that. Though, the same could be said about you,” Michael responded as he pulled his large cape off by their lapels and placed it in full flat on the ground below us. I rolled my eyes at him in jest as he sat on it crossed legged and motioned for me to join him.

I sat on the stretched out cape as Michael pulled me into him and nestled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around my abdomen. He buried his head in the crook of my shoulder and kissed the exposed skin on the base of my neck under my hood. 

He held me close to him as I watched the sun in the distance slowly lowering, the sky changing from bright blue to a gorgeous hue of red and orange.

“Wow, it’s so simple”, I mused, “But damn. I really missed this. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes, it is”, I heard him say against the back of my neck. 

“Michael, you aren’t even looking at the sunset!” I teased him.

“I know”, he said softly. “I was looking at you”.

“You’re so corny sometimes”, I laughed, shifting my upper body to face him. I reached up and playfully pushed his hair out of his eyes. “Good thing I love you”. 

“I love you, too, my Barrie”, he whispered to me, as he kissed my lips gently.

It wasn’t too much longer after the sun completely disappeared behind the trees that Michael and I laid down together on his cape. The sky had turned darker and the air around us began to cool. He removed his jacket before leaning on top of me, kissing me deeply and passionately, the sounds of the forest and crickets echoing in my ear as his hand glided up underneath my shirt.

“I have a confession to make”, he whispered to me, his palm caressing up my rib cage and landing on my breast over the cotton fabric of my bra. “I decided on this memory for another reason. I had a fantasy the other day of making love to you underneath the night sky”.

“Oh, so the Antichrist is a charmer”, I said jokingly to him. “I definitely like the change of scenery for once”. 

Michael hoisted me up and let me slip out of my hoodie before pulling my shirt up over my head. I reached around his neck to remove his red scarf before lying back down again in just my bra. He teasingly took his time unbuttoning his own shirt, looking down at me seductively and licking his lips with his tongue poking out at the top of his mouth in the way he knew drove me mad just by that alone. 

“Um, wow”, I said, suddenly feeling a surge of heat throughout my body. “What you’re doing right now... you better remember to do that when we’re awake. I’m getting so turned on just looking at you”.

“That’s what I was going for”, Michael replied with a smirk. “Also, that was impressive on your part, my dear. You’re becoming more confident with telling me what you want.”

His shirt finally off, he laid down on his back, pulling me over, lifting me up and straddling me onto his lap.

“I did get used to you in that shitty dress”, he said from under me as he reached his hands up and slowly unzipped my jeans. “I must say though... I think I like the tease of undressing you in a slower manner.”

“You don’t mind the extra layers?” I asked, reaching around to unhook my bra and letting it slide onto the cape. 

“Oh, not at all”, he purred, staring up at my chest intensely, now exposed and feeling the cool air around us hit my skin. “Peeling your clothes off one by one, instead of all at once, slowly revealing all of you? Its so sexy to me”. Michael pulled down the flaps of my jeans but didn’t pull me out of them completely just yet, instead running his hands up my torso towards my breasts. 

I pulled my shoes off and tossed them aside, feeling Michael’s crotch hardening even against the denim of my pants. He had me stand over him and reached his arms up to pull my jeans off fully, allowing me to slip out of them as I repositioned myself on his groin in just my panties. Anxious to get things moving along, I reached over towards his long legs and pulled his boots off, one after the other.

“Always so eager”, he cooed as his palms squeezed my breasts. “Let’s take this slow. I’m completely mesmerized by your body in the moonlight right now. I want to savor it as long as possible”. 

“And you’re always such a tease”... I started to say as I felt Michael’s hot breath against my skin. He was sitting up now and his soft lips had engulfed one of my nipples, suckling at it and licking intensely. He stopped momentarily and leaned his head against them, allowing me to reach around and stroke the back of his head as I held him close to my chest.

I could see him smirking below me when I looked down at him as he brushed his nose against my sternum, and he giggled.

“What’s so funny?” I asked him.

“Just thinking about how much I love your beautiful tits”, he said, his lips grazing the sides of each. “They look even more stunning under the bright moon”.

“I still feel like they’re too small sometimes...” I admitted quietly as he continued to tease them, using his hands now.

He paused and looked up at me, square in the eye. 

“When I said I loved every part of you, I meant it”, he said reassuringly. “If you want my honest opinion, I have no preference for size. I love you. Your breasts are part of you. Therefore, I love them. And I did from the first day when you were nervous to let me see. They’re perfect. Just like the rest of you”. He gave them both another squeeze and I felt myself becoming wet below me as he tweaked his fingers over my hardened nipples.

“I’m just insecure sometimes”, I started to say before Michael cut me off.

“You have no reason to be”, he said, leaning in for a kiss. “You are perfect to me. That won’t change.”

He lowered his head and his mouth returned to one of my nipples and I moaned loud as he bit at the skin around it.

“I want to watch them move”, he whispered against my chest. “I think you know what I mean. I want to see you riding me while your body is bathed in the moonlight”.

“What happened to taking it slow?” I asked with a grin.

“Things change”, he said, his tone shifting to nearly commanding. He reached one hand down and slid two fingers under the fabric of my panties. I squirmed on top of him as his fingertips slowly caressed me below. “I need to be inside you right now. I can’t take it”, he panted. I could feel his bulge rising through his pants and rubbing against my covered crotch, sending a jolt through me. 

It wasn’t much longer before both of us were completely naked, our bodies on top of each other, feeling the softness of his cape on the ground against our skin.

I thought I heard more sounds of nature and what was probably an owl hooting in the distance, but the only thing I could truly see or hear in those moments was Michael underneath me. All I could feel were his hands holding and moving my hips as I rode him, my palms against his bare chest, the base of my ass hitting his muscular thighs, his hard cock sliding in and out of me. It didn’t feel quite the same as in real life, but felt real enough. 

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen”, I moaned to him below me as I rolled and thrusted into him, watching his incredible eyes and handsome face staring up at me. Michael’s fingers kept switching from my sides to my ass and remembering what he had said earlier about my breasts, I moved my hands off his torso and switched to massaging them myself over him on an impulse to add to the visual on his end. That must have done something because his eyes widened, he bit his lower lip, and his thrusts became faster.

“No, that would be you”, he said in response, before flipping me over so he was on top of me now, thrustinginto me and gazing into my eyes as I gripped his shoulders and held him against me. He took it slow and I soaked it in, kissing his jaw and neck as he did the same to me.

He gasped into my neck as he nipped at the skin around my throat. So far Michael had yet to leave any marks on me, unlike the hickey I had given him just days earlier, which was noticeably healed now. His light nibble on my neck turned into a heavy sucking, and I didn’t even care anymore.

“Michael...” I panted underneath him. As much as I enjoyed our soft lovemaking, I suddenly had a change of heart and wanted something more. “Go... harder... please...”

“Harder?” He asked me, his smile shifting into a wicked grin. “Well, since you asked nicely...”

He pulled away from my neck and slammed himself into my hips with a swift and heavy motion as I wrapped my legs around his waist. His left hand reached up and pinned my arm down against his cape, while his other hand migrated down my stomach between our bodies. 

“I’m going to fucking _ravage_ you”, he growled as he continued to heavily thrust into me. “I know exactly what will make you squirm under me. I’ll make you cum harder than you ever have, and you’ll do it for me!”

Without warning, I felt cool metal below me and looked down, seeing that he was using the square jewel of his largest ring to press against my clit the way he had done our first time, knowing full well what it would do. He pressed down hard, rotating it while he thrusted deep into me.

I felt my orgasm overtake me, my small body violently shaking underneath him, my but Michael wasn’t finished yet.

Since it _was_ a dream, I decided to take a chance.

“Cum inside me”, I whispered to him when I eventually felt his thrusts becoming uneven, indicating that he was close to orgasm himself.

Michael panted heavily and his look of seductive lust shifted into a sudden soft, loving gaze.

“Are - are you sure?” He stammered, his eyes shiny, as if he was going to cry.

“Yes, Michael, please... I love you and want to feel you finishing in me!” I shouted to him, grabbing at his long hair which spilled around my face as he buried his head into my shoulder.

His face contorted and he tilted his head back, and the strange sensation of his seed pulsing inside overtook me as I pressed my body against his.

“Fuck, Barrie... I love you, I love you so much!” He shouted as his orgasm reached its peak and he finished, collapsing onto me as he came down from his high.

He looked at me and pushed my hair out of my face, tears lightly falling from his eyes and smiling wide before he pulled out of me and fell on his back onto the cape.

I lay there looking up at the stars as he rolled over and cuddled into me, holding me for warmth.

“I hope I didn’t hurt you when I went harder”, he said with a laugh in his voice. “Much, at least”, he added with a wink. 

“You didn’t”, I said honestly. “If anything, the only pain I felt was this stupid fucking rock that’s under the cape that kept digging into my ass”. I reached my hand under the cape to try and retrieve it as Michael burst out laughing. He made a motion with his hand when he saw me struggling to reach it, and in a second it appeared in my palm. I tossed it aside.

“Still a show off”, I said, laughing to myself now as I curled up into Michael’s chest.

“How much longer are we going to be here for?” I then asked him curiously, running my fingers through a few strands of Michael’s hair.

“Much like any dream, only when we wake up”, he said while nuzzling his face into mine. “I hope it’ll be long enough to see the sun rise”.

“So this was the Michael Langdon idea of a date outside the Outpost?” I asked with a chuckle. Even pushed against my face, I could feel him smiling.

“As I said, I know you aren’t one for big romantic gestures. I figured something simple and also, something from my memories, would suffice. I realize it wasn’t much...”

“Are you kidding?!” I said as I turned to face him. “A walk in the woods? Watching the sunset? Sex under the stars? This was easily the most romantic and probably the cutest date I’ve ever been on. Even if it isn’t technically real”. I leaned forward and kissed his plump lips, which were warm and inviting as usual.

“I’m thrilled you liked it”, he said in response. “I was thinking more in terms of hearts and flowers and candlelit dinners, the romance stereotype”. 

“Now _that_ would have been corny”, I said with a laugh, cuddling into him closer.

I shivered, Michael’s warm body no longer enough for me. He noticed this, and with another smooth wave of his hand, a large, soft blanket appeared and covered us both. 

“I take it back”, I said to him, snuggling under the blanket. “You _are_ corny”. 

“Too much?” He asked with a grin.

“Could have just done an open sleeping bag”, I suggested.

“But this is my fantasy dream world, what’s the fun in being too realistic?” He replied with a smirk as he pulled the blanket over him and wrapped his arms around me from underneath. 

“This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life”, he said, reaching over and kissing both of my cheeks and lips softly. “Now I won’t have to completely associate this place with a bad memory. I can look back on it and see it was also a place I spent an amazing day at with someone I love”. 

“It was one of mine too”, I said, kissing him back on his own lips. “Thank you so much for doing this for me”.

We lay there just holding each other for a while before I yawned. I reached over us to grab my hoodie, which I rolled up in a ball and placed behind my head as a pillow. Michael used his jacket as one for himself, and I was surprised he didn’t just use his magic (was it magic? I didn’t know what to call it) to make real pillows appear, but I didn’t question it. I stared up at the sky and my eyes fluttered shut as I dozed off in his arms.

 

* * *

 

I woke up expecting to be back in Michael’s room in the Outpost, only to find that I was still with him under the blanket in the woods, on top of his cape. It was still dark out, and I couldn’t tell how long we had been asleep for. He was asleep next to me, rolled over on his side, and I assumed that we had moved away from each other in our sleep as we tended to do.

I lay awake for quite some time, tossing and turning, listening to the sounds of the night. Our day and evening prior had been absolutely perfect. I wasn’t sure what could have possibly been keeping me awake.

Michael stirred next to me and I felt him nestled into my back. 

“Hi”, he said quietly in my ear. “Can’t sleep?” 

“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” I asked him. “I’ve been up for a while”. 

“It’s alright”, he responded, rubbing my shoulders. “Do you need help relaxing?” 

“How so?” I asked. 

“Oh, I can think of a few ways”, he purred, “If you’ll let me”. 

“Depends what you have in mind”, I said quietly, rolling over and pressing my lips against his. 

“I could give you a massage. Or, I wouldn’t mind a midnight snack”, Michael replied with a smirk.

“Can you get me some real food too?” I said without thinking too hard about it, causing Michael to laugh as he leaned forward and began to kiss me.

He moved his lips to my neck, running his hands slowly down my torso and massaging my breasts, clearly still not sick of them even after practically worshipping them earlier that evening. He threw the blanket back and crawled on top of me, kissing me in numerous places on my upper body as he made his way down. His lips reached my inner thighs, which he picked up and kissed softly in the way he knew made me weak.

I realized then my naive late night mistake. 

“This is what you meant by ‘midnight snack’, isn’t it?” I asked as he looked over at me from between my legs. He said nothing in response, merely shooting me his half smile and continued to kiss and nip at my inner thigh. 

“Mmm, yes, just like that”, I said in enjoyment, encouraging him to keep going. I looked down to see that he had gotten hard again, so I reached my foot out and glided my toes over his shaft. His cock felt scorching hot and the skin at the base of my foot felt like it was burning. I flinched and Michael noticed, pulling my foot away slowly. 

“I appreciate you trying to help”, he said softly. “But, it’s not necessary. This is all about you now. Although if you’re up for it, I can fuck you again after I do this. You know I wouldn’t say no”. 

“Just hurry up and do it”, I said excitedly, feeling my labia clenching together in anticipation. “I don’t want you snacking, I want you devouring the whole fucking meal!” 

“Patience is a virtue, Barrie”, he said as he trailed light kisses along my other thigh, spreading them and brushed his right index finger over my lower lips. “Who needs real food when I have you, warm and delicious in front of me?” he said teasingly before sliding two fingers in and curling them upwards. “And if it’s devour you want, then devour I _will_ ”. 

He finally settled his mouth on my clit, kissing it lightly at first while his other hand held me down by my hip. He licked a long stripe up and his tongue swirled around my folds, increasing his finger pressure. 

“Mmmm, Michael!” I shouted impulsively. I normally stayed quiet in the Outpost out of fear of embarrassment and possibly being caught (even though Michael had supposedly gotten the no sex rule rescinded, I still wasn’t taking chances). Here, I figured since it was a dream, nobody would hear or care if I was loud.

Clearly he was reading my thoughts, pausing to look up at me. “It’s just us, my love. I know you tend to be quiet. Your moans by themselves turn me on greatly, but you’re more than welcome to be loud. I certainly won’t stop you”.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to -“ I started to say, but felt Michael’s soft lips sucking lightly below me, his tongue gliding against my clit and in between my folds, and something inside me broke. I sat up and gripped the cape under us with one hand, yanking Michael’s long hair with the other as he continued. His fingers hit a spot directly underneath me that I hadn’t felt before, causing my hips to thrash. I was pretty sure this had to be my G-spot, which I had never gotten to experience any time someone went down on me. When he picked me up and I felt the tip of his tongue enter my ass, I was gone.

“FUCCCCKKKK, MICHAEL!!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, bucking into his face harder. He kept going through my orgasm, and I kept squirming. He caressed up my hips and sides with both hands, his arms eventually reaching up to touch my breasts as I felt myself being held down by an unseen force, realizing he was using his magic to hold me in place. _That_ _slick_ _bastard_.

His tongue and mouth felt like a gift from an otherworldly presence in this dream world. I came into them twice more until I finally pushed him away from the over sensitivity, allowing myself to come down from my highs.

He looked at up me while stroking himself and gently sucked his two fingers that had just been inside me, waiting for a sign from me as to what to do next. 

“You’re sweeter than any fruit I’ve ever tasted”, he purred. “How do you feel? Relaxed? Or do you want more?” 

“M-more”, I stammered, not sure I could even take it, but willing to try. I partially felt bad that he was hard again and I hadn’t done anything for him.

“Oh, please don’t feel bad, my dear”, he said, as I had forgotten momentarily that he could read my thoughts. “I do appreciate that you’re thinking of me of course. But I’ll ask you again before I fix that myself - do you really want more? I’ll go no further without your consent”. 

“Yes, Michael, please!”, I snapped at him. “I mean it! I want you inside me right now!” 

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’, then”, he said slyly as he crawled on top of me and positioned his cock at my entrance, leaning down and wetting a nipple with his mouth still dripping from my juices before he pushed inside me in one go. 

I allowed him to cum in me again, and equally, we both finished at more or less the same time.

 

He stayed inside me for a short time after finishing, looking down at me intensely for a good minute before pulling out and rolling over. He pulled the blanket back over us and held me close to his warm body.

“I wish this night would never end”, he said quietly. “If I knew my Father would allow me to let go of the plan, I would just take you and leave the compound tomorrow.” 

“You still haven’t told me your plan”, I said, turning on my side to face him.

 “You’ll know, eventually. I promise you that”, he said softly. “Maybe we can do this again tomorrow night? Not necessarily a date like today, though of course I can make it so if you would like. I feel like showing you my memories is the best way to help you understand my purpose.”

“I still haven’t seen you in this memory”, I said. 

“I wish I could say you could absolutely see it”, he continued. “This will end and we’ll be back in the Outpost once we both wake up in the real world. That’s likely why it hasn’t happened yet and we’re still here. One or both of us must still be sleeping”.

 “This still feels so real”, I said, reaching over to touch his face.

“It does, doesn’t it?” Michael replied. “There are differences of course. When you said the rock was underneath you earlier, you felt discomfort, but not actual pain. You’ll probably notice you have no pain in your back at all even though you’ve been sleeping on the ground”. 

“Definitely no pain”, I mused. “I still can’t believe you did this for me.” 

“For you, and only you”, he replied, leaning in for a kiss. “I’m admittedly growing tired of the others in the Outpost. They’re all so weak and pathetic. You asked me the other day why I was stalling with you? It was because I wasn’t totally sure of my feelings for you just yet. This is entirely new for me. I haven’t felt this kind of adoration and respect and love for another person since I lost my adoptive mother. Not since...” Michael sighed and his voice quivered. “Not since my grandmother. And this is far different than any of that. When you walked in on me doing my ritual to speak to my Father, that’s when I knew. You had every reason to be afraid, but you stayed and embraced me. You proved it when you let me make love to you while I was covered in my own dried blood. You accept me. And for that, you deserve the world, and I’ll give you the world any way I can”. 

I could feel myself starting to cry again and I threw myself into him, hugging him tightly. “I love you, Michael”, I said to him and tried to regain my composure. We kissed for quite some time before I got drowsy again, and fell asleep with my head on his chest.

 

* * *

 

The second time I opened my eyes, once again I was shocked to see we still weren’t in the Outpost and still in the woods, except the sun was up now. I was fascinated at how vivid and lucid his dream was, considering I had fallen asleep within it and woken up twice and still wasn’t technically awake. I looked down and saw Michael still asleep under me, and realized that meant neither of us were actually awake yet. Not wanting to wake him but feeling cold, I reached for the clothes I had been wearing, sliding my panties on and pulling up my pants. I slipped into my T-shirt without my bra and put the black hoodie on. I knew it wasn’t going to be much longer that I was in these clothes so I tried to savor the feeling of them again for as long as I could. 

I was tying my shoes when I heard a noise that sounded like footsteps coming through the clearing. I expected it to be an animal, but instead got quite a shock when I saw a young man, possibly in his later teens, walking towards us. I watched him carefully as he approached us - he was very handsome, with broad shoulders, lean torso, a sharp jawline, long legs, and a luscious, short mop of curly blonde hair parted down the middle atop his head. He was dressed in black pants, pointy black shoes, and a black dress shirt adorned with a red patterned scarf around his neck, similar to the one that Michael always wore.

He walked up a couple of feet away from us, and I noticed a look of anger and frustration on his face as he picked up a rock from the ground and began to draw a circle around him in the dirt with it. 

“I’m not going any further”, he said suddenly. I looked around to see if someone else was there, only to realize that not only was there not, but he didn’t appear to be speaking to me either. It looked like he didn’t even see me. 

He let out a couple of exasperated sounding pants and continued to speak. “Father, tell me what to do, and I’ll do it”. 

Those words shook me when I realized what was happening. The young man suddenly came into focus and I recognized him - it _was_ Michael. He was younger of course, his hair was not as long, and he had no eyeshadow. His voice was also slightly higher pitched and cracked a bit, seeming to be in the process of changing. I finally realized that this was the memory of him he had told me about, from the day he lost his guardian and had spent four days in the woods as a result. This was the replay of his past, and I was actually seeing it. 

Younger Michael bent down, rock in hand, and began to draw lines within the circle in the dirt. It didn’t take much longer for me to realize that he was clearly drawing a pentagram. 

“I’m not leaving this circle until you talk to me”, he continued as he drew more lines into the triangle shapes within the circle. “They’re gone... the warlocks... my Ms. Mead... burned alive at the stake by the witches, until nothing was left but ash and smoke”. He stopped between grunts, continuing his pattern in the dirt. 

A million thoughts were running through my head now.

Had he said "his _Ms. Mead_ "?

 _Witches_?

 _Burned at the stake_??

“You tell me what to do”, young Michael continued, and I watched as he dropped to his knees in the middle of the pentagram now drawn perfectly in the dirt. “Or you let me die here”.

I watched intensely as younger Michael sat and waited, not sure if the dream would show me the entire four days he stayed there. I didn’t have to wonder for long, as I felt my Michael’s arms slip around my waist.

“How long have you been awake?” I asked him, feeling his breath against the back of my neck.

“A few minutes”, I heard him say into my ear. “Long enough to see you watching my teenage self come to these woods.”

“Michael”, I said, “I heard you say - Ms. Mead?” I didn’t get my answer, as suddenly he disappeared completely, and I was alone, watching his younger self off in the distance kneeling into his pentagram.

The sky around me began to blur, and everything suddenly went completely black.

 

* * *

 

 

My eyes fluttered open and I looked around, once again back in Michael’s room in the Outpost.

 Still in my half asleep state, I turned on my side to seen him watching me.

 “It’s over?” I asked him. “For real?”

 “Yes”, he replied softly. “We’re really awake now”.

He reached over and rubbed my arm with his hand. “What did you think?” he asked.

 “That was... that felt _so_ real”, I said, still disoriented and in disbelief. “It was kind of amazing”.

“We can do that again tonight, if you like”, Michael said, leaning and nuzzling his face into mine. “I can show you more memories of me."

“Can you let me have those same clothes I wore?” I asked.

“Absolutely”, he said, pecking my lips softly before he reached over and kissed my neck underneath my earlobe. “Do I get to cum inside you for real now?” he asked in a seductive tone.

“You know the answer to that”, I said to him, playfully shoving him away from me. “I took advantage of the dream, but I’m not ready for any Antichrist babies."

“I’m just teasing you, of course”, he said with a wink.

I laid there staring at him for a bit, before I remembered an aspect of the dream I needed to ask about.

“Hey”, I said. “When - when I saw you in the woods, you said ‘your Ms. Mead’, and she was burned at a stake? Did you mean...?”

Michael let out a long sigh.

“Now you know”, he said. “Yes. The same Miriam Mead who resides in this Outpost. She was my guardian. She was the woman who took me in and raised me after my grandmother’s suicide. She was a Satanist; she was with them when they found me.”

“But, I’m confused”, I said. “If she was burned alive, how can she be here?” 

“That’s because she isn’t alive”, Michael responded. “Not technically, anyway. She’s as close as I can get to her, but she isn’t the real flesh and blood Mead. The one that helps Ms. Venable run here? She’s... an android. A robot”.

“But she acts like she doesn’t even know you, and hadn’t met you before”, I said, still confused. 

“Yes,” Michael said in response. “When The Cooperative was preparing and assigning the Outposts just before the bombs, I requested her creators wipe her entire AI before being placed here. I figured it would be in her best interests. Before I leave, I do plan on telling her of course - from what I understand, all I need to do is talk to her and she’ll remember. She already knows she isn’t human, so it should be easy. Also, I hope you know now that she’ll be joining us when we leave here.”

I sat there and stared at him open mouthed.

“She seems indifferent to me”, I said, not knowing what else to say. 

“I know she will grow to love you, once she sees how much I do. Tonight, I can show you how she was made and came to be, if you want”, Michael said to me as he held my hand to his chest.

I nodded. “Yes”, I said. “Please. Show me everything. I want to know more”. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is sort of a filler chapter while I work on the next dream/memory sharing, and figured it was time to slowly work in Michael’s diabolical nature a bit. I’ve seen multiple head canons and fics speculating that he clearly could have a blood fetish (I mean, he’s eaten raw hearts after all), so I incorporated this in an attempt to both make it somewhat sexual and also creep Barrie out a bit. She’s well aware that he has inhuman abilities, but again, I think despite that she brings out some good in him, he still has his urges of course and they manifest differently around her.
> 
> Also figured it would be a good chance to show more of his cocky side, and do a bit of role reversal (basically to show that they’re more or less rubbing off on each other in certain ways) when she taunts him at the end. 
> 
> I re-wrote it a few times and hopefully the blood and foot fetish talk doesn’t gross anyone out (I realize that’s a kink not everyone is into). So - CW for blood play and fetish stuff here, I guess!

That following morning, I had a different viewpoint of Ms. Mead as I watched her at the table in the main dining room at breakfast. I was fascinated that this android was based on the woman Michael spoke so highly of, who raised him after his grandmother’s death. She always seemed very strict, and by the book; not nearly as sadistic and callous as Ms. Venable, but not any better as she clearly enabled and encouraged the behavior of the other woman.

I couldn’t prove it, but in the early days of us arriving in the Outpost, Andre’s boyfriend Stu had been with him initially. The first night Emily and Timothy arrived, Ms. Mead had done a contamination test and taken both Gallant and Stu, claiming they were positive after using the Geiger counter on everyone at dinner. Gallant returned, but Stu never did. The following evening, we served everyone a stew that had been prepared in secret, which one of the Grey cooks named Naomi had told us she was given a “special secret ingredient”. The meat was white, and having tasted it after cooking, she told us it was most likely chicken. Mallory and some other Greys who ate it all agreed on the taste. I had been a vegetarian for years prior to my arrival at the Outpost and even with the prospect of real food instead of a vitamin cube, I opted for the cube instead that day, deciding to still refrain from meat. I helped serve the meal, and saw Gallant become curious when he pulled out a bone in his bowl that he claimed did not look like a chicken bone. This caused Andre to flip out, jumping from his chair yelling “THE STEW IS STU!!!”

Everyone was rightfully freaked; Coco had even made Mallory stick her finger down her throat to force her to vomit in reaction. Despite Venable’s insistence that they were not serving a cooked human and that we hadn’t resorted to cannibalism, I still to that day felt uneasy around Mead. She had delivered the mystery meat to Naomi and insisted Stu was “dirty” from radiation, despite that I was positive he had never left the compound once in the two weeks we had been there. Something just felt bizarre about her, and although some of it made sense knowing now that she was a robot, it still made me wonder what her real personality was like, considering the woman she had been modeled after.

Michael had finished interviewing everyone in the Outpost finally, but still made frequent trips to his office. He was very vague with me, but he appeared to be waiting for something, as he was taking his time with his selections. I still hadn’t brought up to him that I wanted Mallory to come with us and Ms. Mead, and now that I knew he was actively aware of my thoughts, I shut it out of my mind when I was around him. I wanted to find the right time to bring it up, and wasn’t sure when.

 

* * *

 

 

Something strange happened that afternoon.

I had been with Mallory on our early afternoon, post-lunch cleaning shift and we were once again placed on floor mopping duty. Mallory was pulled away by Ms. Venable briefly, and instructed to leave Michael’s lunch cube outside of his office before returning to finish mopping with me. After she left, I became lost in thought and didn’t see when my foot accidentally got caught under the water bucket’s wheels as I mopped the floor. I slipped and fell forwards, hitting the side corner of the wall and my calf smashing into it. I felt a surge of pain in my leg, and lifted up the skirt of my uniform to reveal a medium sized gash that was bleeding heavily.

“Fuckkkkkk!” I shouted, my low pain tolerance never being something I hid.

 “Holy shit, Barrie!” I heard Mallory exclaim as she ran towards me from Michael’s office. “I saw you slip! Are you okay?!”

“Not really”, I said with a grunt, pointing to my leg.

 "Oh my God, that looks deep!” she said in response. “Stay here, I’ll go get the first aid supplies”.

“That won’t be necessary”, I suddenly heard Michael’s voice in the distance and looked up to see him walking towards us.

Mallory looked up at him and stood at attention with her hands behind her back. “What do you mean, Mr. Langdon?” she asked. “Barrie is hurt. Her leg needs medical attention”.

I looked at him curiously, not sure why he would deny me the supplies.

“I’m well aware of that”, he said with a stern look. “You may continue what you’re doing, Mallory. I will take care of your friend.” 

Mallory looked at him quizzically. “You have a first aid kit somewhere?” she asked. 

“Something like that”, he said with a smirk. “I will handle this. You are excused”.

Michael bent down and picked me up by my legs, and I saw Mallory looking at me with a half smirk and half concerning look. I knew she still didn’t trust him, but she also wasn’t pressing the issue anymore. 

“What are you doing?” I asked him quietly as he carried me to his office. “I’m in pain, you know”. 

“I can see that”, he said with a grin. “I’ll take care of it for you myself”.

“By the way”, I said, lowering my voice to a whisper. “Mallory. She knows... about us”. 

Michael looked at me and grinned. “Yes, I know she does”, he said. “I’ve read her thoughts as well as yours. I’m also aware that she is the only other person who knows. She... isn’t a fan of me, to say the least, but she cares very much for your well being, almost as much as I do. Much like most of the others here, she’s rather afraid of me. That’s all I know, truthfully. She keeps a lot of things hidden, that one, like you did, except...” He paused.

“Except what?” I asked. But he didn’t respond. 

“No matter”, he said finally. “We’re here”. 

Michael looked around once we reached his office, and with a nod of his head, the doors slid open and closed on their own as we walked in. He seated me in one of the armchairs near the fireplace next to the loveseat where we first had sex that day of my interview, and kneeled down next to me. He removed the shoe on my foot where the cut was just slightly above my ankle, and my sock as well, which was already stained with the blood dripping from the gash. Droplets of red appeared on my feet now.

“Careful, it hurts”, I said, wincing as Michael held my leg up and examined my injury.

“You really did get quite a cut here”, he said, before looking up at me. “I would like to do something for you, something I’m capable of but haven’t shown you yet. But... I have to admit, there is something else I want to do, and I hope you don’t find it odd”.

“I’m well past the point of being surprised at anything you do, Michael”, I said, not even fully about to understand what was about to happen. “Can - can you heal it? With magic?” 

Michael nodded. “You watched me heal myself after the ritual”, he said. “I can do it with others as well, but obviously I shouldn’t do that in front of people”. 

“That’s not so odd”, I said. “I’m curious to see you do it”. 

“Well”, he said, looking down at my leg and eyeing the gash. “I... want to do something else first”. 

He closed his eyes and leaned his face forward, planting a soft kiss on the cut where the blood was beginning to pour out. 

“You’re really kissing my cut better?” I said in mild shock, but also smiling. “Wow, that’s cute, but not necessary...” 

I didn’t finish my sentence and my jaw fell open in surprise as I watched Michael’s lips start to suck gently on the cut. He ran his tongue down the length of my calf where the blood was dripping, lapping it up. I realized then what he was actually doing.

 _He was licking the blood off my leg_. 

“What - what the fuck...” I stammered.

He looked up at me. “Cleaning your wound first”, he said, his eyes on me as if he had just asked me what time it was. He didn’t seem phased by it at all. 

“Don’t tell me you’re a goddamn vampire too”, I said, and in truth, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he said yes.

“No”, Michael said with a chuckle. “This isn’t something I usually do. I do enjoy a raw, bloody heart from time to time, so this is similar. Mostly I just enjoy this for reasons I can’t fully explain. There’s something beautiful about blood, isn’t there? And something... _sensual_ ”.

He noticed some of the blood that had dropped onto my toes, and was staring at them intensely. I barely had a moment to address his statement about eating raw hearts.

“I hope you don’t find this too strange, either”, he asked, gazing at my foot. “May I?”

I didn’t say anything, but the look on his face was obvious: he knew exactly what I was thinking.His devilish grin returned.

“Well now”, he said. “I have to say, Barrie, I’m a bit pleasantly surprised that you’ve indulged in non-traditional sexual behavior before. I wouldn’t have guessed”.

“It - it was before the sexual assault with the guys at the party”, I said. “I was in love with my best friend at the time. In college. It was sort of a weird friends with benefits situation, and uh, well, he had a foot fetish”. I paused, thinking of Trevor, the boy who I had long considered my first love. I hadn’t thought about him in a long time. 

Michael sighed, and I knew he had been reading my thoughts still.

“Shit”, I said. “I hope you aren’t jealous...”

“Darling, of course not”, he said quietly. “I don’t see the point in it. I already can see - it was a long time ago, long before you met me. But I’m sensing about this relationship of yours. You really cared for him. Much like you care for me. I understand. Your first love never goes away.”

Fighting back my tears, I looked at Michael intensely. “Don’t tell me you also have a foot fetish”, I asked, meaning it in a joking manner.

“Not usually”, he said with a laugh. “But, I’m open to new experiences, as you know. I’m more interested in the blood than your foot”.

He paused, and with a smooth motion, Michael bent his head down and licked the blood off the base of my foot, followed by taking my big toe in his mouth.

I stirred in my seat. I hadn’t ever let anyone suck my toes or go anywhere near my feet after Trevor and I were no longer on speaking terms. I forgot how sensitive they were, and how much I actually enjoyed it.

Michael continued a few more seconds until my foot was clean. He pulled away and hovered his hand over the cut on my leg. The remaining blood disappeared and the small hole closed up right in front of me, not even leaving a scar. 

I was amazed... and very oddly turned on. But, part of me was also slightly disturbed, and I kept my mind shut off so Michael wouldn’t know I how I was feeling. 

“All better”, he said, putting my leg down. 

I didn’t know what to say. I merely sat there, looking stunned. 

Michael stood on his knees slightly so he would be at my level, holding my hand in his. “Would you mind if I kissed you right now?” he asked. “Unless you don’t want the taste of blood...” 

“I mean”, I said. “You’ve kissed me after you’ve gone down on me...”

Michael smiled and took that as an invitation, leaning forward and pressed his still somewhat bloody lips to mine. I could barely even taste any of it, so I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back deeply.

“If you are ever hurt, just come to me. I’ll heal you”, he said after pulling away. “I also hope you know, that I had a specific meaning when I said that your first love is always with you. I already know you’ll always be with me”. 

I grabbed Michael’s face and kissed him again, smiling hard while doing so. I was so happy in that moment, I forgot that he had just licked up blood off my leg as if it was an everyday occurrence.

Michael stood up and sat in the opposite armchair, and gestured for me to come over. I got out of the chair and situated myself on his lap, putting my arm around him as he wrapped his own arms around my waist and looked up at me before kissing me. We spent a few minutes making out by the crackling fire, and as much as I tried not to think about it, the thoughts plagued me and I felt strangely. Still, I was distracted by his warm, soft lips, not caring that he had just lapped blood from my leg like a dog drinking water from its bowl. 

“I have to admit”, I said as I pressed my forehead to his. “That was... well, it was weird, but it was also pretty sexy”.

“Oh, was it?” he purred, shooting me a smirk. “Did it excite you?” 

“It might have”, I said. “I have to get back to my shift...” 

“It can wait”, Michael said. “I’m in charge here, and if Venable has something to say, she’ll answer to me. Go over to my desk”. 

I climbed off his lap and walked over to the other side of the room, laughing as Michael didn’t even bother to walk. He simply transmutated from the chair to the desk.

 “You’re just going to do that constantly now, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Yes”, Michael said, suddenly shoving all his papers and folders off his desk before he picked me up and placed me on top of it so I was facing him.

“Isn’t that your work?” I asked.

“I’ll clean it later. Magic makes everything easier”, he replied before he crashed his lips into mine, kissing me hard before diving into my neck. 

“What are you in the mood for, my love?” He whispered in my ear. “Soft and slow? Or... rougher? Your wish is my command”.

“Surprise me”, I said, truthfully not even caring.

Michael eyed me as he stuck his fingers into the bun in my hair, undoing it so my hair fell down. “I think you hate that bun more than me”, I said with a laugh.

“Your hair is beautiful”, Michael said quietly, running his fingers through it. “It’sso soft and always smells wonderful. Why hide it in that ridiculous hairdo?” He leaned in and inhaled directly above it before going back and kissing me hard once again. He left me nearly breathless, only stopping to run his lips along my jaw and neck. It wasn’t long before he unzipped me from the back and pulled my uniform down, but only halfway, squeezing my covered breasts.

I reached out to take his jacket off, only to have him push my hands away.

“Not right now”, he said. “This is about you. I believe I still owe you from the other day before we were interrupted”.

He pulled the strap of my bra down and revealed one of my breasts, kissing it roughly and nipping at the skin before wrapping his mouth around the nipple. I kissed his neck and jaw as he grinded his hips into me on his desk. His hand trailed down and situated itself underneath the skirt of my dress, caressing my thighs before he ran his fingertips lightly over the crotch of my panties.

“It’s always exhilarating how you get so easily aroused”, he said into my ear. “You’re already wet and I’ve barely touched you. In fact, I think I’m just going to tease you and leave you with that, until later”.

“You wouldn’t dare”, I said to him, giving him a deathly look. I knew he had his cocky moments and they occasionally poked through, though not like this.

Michael smirked and pressed a finger into me through the fabric of my panties, causing my body to flinch. He slowly slipped a second finger into the waistband and briefly rubbed my clit with the lightest of touches as he suckled at my neck.

“More”, I moaned to him. “Please. More”.

But Michael simply pulled his finger out and did his seductive tongue lick as he put the tip of his finger that had just been inside me to his lips.

“Just wanted a taste”, he said, giving my exposed breast a final squeeze before walking away. “We’ll finish this later”.

“Wow, you really are the biggest fucking tease in the world”, I said to him, doing my best to not jump him right there. Michael walked back over and kissed my lips, but I could tell how serious he was when he pulled my bra strap back up and covered me before lifting the upper half of my Grey uniform that was bunched around my waist and helped me back into it. He picked me up and put me down on the floor before he zipped me back up from behind. I walked over to the armchair to get my sock and shoe, Michael following me and sneaking up behind me as I put them on.

“So I’m getting the silent treatment now?” he said, pressing his nose against the back of my neck and brushing his lips against it.

“You’re... I don’t have words for you”, I said. “I fucking love you, but wow...”

“You did say to surprise you”, he said softly, “And what better surprise then to get you riled up and then finish? Besides, now later on tonight the real fun can begin. We’ll be doing some more dream sharing, if you still want to”.

“Of course I do”, I said. “But”, I turned and stood on my tiptoes as I grabbed Michael’s face and kissed him harder than I think I ever had. “You owe me. Big time”, I said into his mouth.

Michael gave in to the kiss and when he was fully engulfed, I reached my hand down and gently stroked his crotch.

“What are you...” he asked with his mouth still pressed against mine.

I lifted my thigh up and shoved it between his legs, using it to stroke him. I could feel the outline of his cock hardening through his pants, and Michael’s breathing got a little heavier. I stroked him with my thigh for a few more seconds before I pulled it away and pushed him away from me playfully.

Michael shot me his usual half smile. “Well, that just isn’t fair, is it now, Barrie?” he said.

“Nope. But it’s payback”, I said. “I’m on to you and two can play this game”.

He stood there staring at me, his smirk shifting into a wide smile. “I’m quite impressed”, he said. “Truly. Either you’re learning a thing or two from me, or you’re becoming more confident. Or both. Whatever it is, _fuck_... I love it. I love _you_.”

“I love you, too”, I said as he leaned in for another kiss, to which I simply just put my finger up to his lips. “But you’re on my shit list right now. Until later”.

I walked away from him and went to the door. They slid open and I turned to look at him.

“I’ve taught you well”, he said to me with a wink as I left his office.

 

The only thing that I could even think after this was... _what had I gotten myself into?_


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t mean for this chapter to get smutty, which it does during the third half from Michael’s point of view (which I decided to do another, might add some more of these blurbs from his POV later).
> 
> I felt this was pretty important to add in- it shows major growth and development in their relationship. Barrie takes a huge risk and faces her trauma, proving to Michael that she truly does love him, which to him means she’s ready to see what he’s done and who he really is. 
> 
> Writing this chapter was very therapeutic and cathartic for me, so hope y’all enjoy it.

“You will be bringing Mr. Langdon his meal this evening, Barrie”, Ms. Venable said to me as she stopped me in the hall while I was making my way towards the kitchen that evening to help prepare for dinner.

“Yes, Ms. Venable”, I said. I hadn’t yet been assigned to bring Michael any of his cubes during meal times, so I was curious as if there was a reason why now. I got my answer when Ms. Venable continued.

“He also has requested that you take the rest of the night off and join him for dinner”, she said to me with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll allow it for now... but don’t think I haven’t noticed that Langdon seems to have taken a liking to you this past week.” She stepped forward and gave me a cold glare. “Is there something I should know about?”

I could feel the hair on the back of my neck begin to stand up. “No”, I said as calmly as possible. “No, ma’am. I - we - we’ve been friendly, but that’s it”.

Ms. Venable continued her deathly stare down at me as she gripped her cane in front of her.

“Is there anything else?” I asked nervously.

“Not at the present time”, she responded. “I can’t prove anything, and truth be told, until now you haven’t given me any trouble. You’ve been rather obedient these last eighteen months. I have no reason to suspect you of anything fishy. I will take you at your word. Bring Langdon his dinner and you are excused for the rest of the night”. She gave me one last stern look before turning and walking away.

“What was that about?” Mallory asked me as I entered the kitchen.

“Apparently Michael told Venable I’m off duty for the rest of the night and wants me to have dinner with him”, I said as I reached for a plate out of the cabinet. Mallory smirked and giggled.

“I have to admit”, she said as she washed some dishes, “As much as you know he scares me, that was really cute what he did for you this afternoon. Picking you up and carrying you to take care of your injury himself. And now wanting to have dinner with you? He actually sounds romantic”.

“Cute. Romantic. Sure, yeah”, I said to her.

_Oh yeah, he also licked blood off my leg and foot before we fooled around and then he left me aroused without fully pleasuring me just because he could, no big deal. Totally romantic._

“He has his moments”, was all I could finish in my reply. “I know you still don’t trust him...”

“I don’t”, Mallory said, “But, I won’t lie. He seems to genuinely care for you. I can see how obvious that is just from watching you two interact.”

“Thank you, Mal”, I said, reaching in to give her a hug. “I really do care about him too. It means so much that you respect that for me even though I know you still have reservations about him”. I opted not to tell her that I was in love with him, thinking it was best that she didn’t know that just yet.

“I’m still keeping an eye on him”, she said as she pulled away from the hug. “And you. Enjoy your dinner. I’m sorry you don’t have flowers, but at least you have candles”. I laughed as she handed me two vitamin cubes from the refrigerator and placed them both on the plate on top of the tray I prepared for Michael and I.

“Venable seemed curious about us before though, and that worries me”, I continued.

“Didn’t you say that Langdon forced her to rescind the no sexual contact rule?”, Mallory replied. “It’s seemed a bit more relaxed here in the last few days. Emily and Timothy were making out in the library yesterday when I came in to clean. If they aren’t sneaking around anymore, I don’t see any reason to be worried”.

“I know, but I still am”, I said. “She just worries me in general”.

“Don’t blame you”, Mallory said as she started to put dishes on the food cart.

 

 

* * *

 

I wasn’t necessarily mad or even that annoyed with Michael after what had happened earlier, but still decided to fuck with him a bit when I approached his room with our cubes a short while later.

“Dinner is served, Mr. Langdon”, I said as I entered, the door opening by itself as I saw him sitting at his desk on the oppositeside of the room.

Once the door shut behind me, Michael turned and looked at me as I placed the tray on his luggage trunk that sat adjacent to his dresser.

“I take it by the two plates that you accepted my invitation to join me for dinner”, he said with his half-smile.

“I’m assuming that’s your apology”, I said to him as I picked up the plates and carried them over to his desk.

“I suppose so”, he said, pulling me into his lap after I put the plates down. “But, I do have to admit, I was quite impressed that you played my own game with me”. He reached up and undid the tie holding up my hair, tossing it aside.

“And don’t think I don’t know that you snuck into your room later on to... relieve yourself”, he said with a smirk as he leaned in and kissed my neck. “I hope you were thinking of me, at least”.

“Obviously,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Who else would I?”

“Touché”, he replied, his hand caressing my thigh. “I have to admit... I never relieved myself after you teased me”.

“You could have”, I said to him honestly.

“Yes, but I chose not to”, he said, twirling a strand of my hair through his fingers. “I can’t explain, but that’s something I just hardly ever do. Usually it’s to help me when I’m extremely frustrated. I’ve so rarely done it for the sake of pure pleasure, and now that I have you, I prefer your assistance, if you catch my drift. Thankfully, I’m able to use my abilities to remedy it if necessary, which is what I did.”

“You absolutely aren’t like most men”, I said, forgetting for a second that he had inhuman abilities. “You’re forgiven for earlier, and I’m sorry for doing the same to you”.

“Nonsense”, Michael replied, reaching his head up and giving me a quick peck on the lips. “Again, I’m impressed that you did it right back to me. Your confidence and boldness is growing and I absolutely love it. I knew you had it in you the whole time.”

I ran my own fingers through Michael’s long hair and remembered the dream.

“I saw your past self”, I said. “Your hair was much shorter. You looked cute with it. The curls looked good on you. What made you decide to grow it out and straighten it?”

“Couldn’t find a barber or hair stylist when tons of people are dead after the apocalypse”, Michael replied with a laugh. “Didn’t want to risk cutting my own hair, so I just let it grow out. The straightening was merely a spell I used. I suppose I could have just done that to cut my hair, but I had other things to do and decided on a change anyway. Once I became involved with the Cooperative”.

“You never did tell me about how that came about”, I said. “Or what it actually is”.

“We can do that in our dream sharing, if you wish, tonight or another day”, Michael said, reaching over me and picking up one of the plates. “Dinner first”.

“I mean, we’ll be done in less than five minutes”, I said giggling, going to take the plate from him. Michael didn’t allow it. He picked up the fork and pierced the cube with it, before bringing it up to my mouth.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes”, he said, smiling. “Just allow me the pleasure. I want to”.

I giggled as I opened my mouth, letting Michael settle the cube into my lips.

“I’ve never had anyone feed me before”, I said after I swallowed. “Or even offer to. You really are something, Michael”.

“I hope that’s a good _something_ , my sweet Barrie”, he said. Picking up the second fork, I pierced the other cube and brought the fork up to his lips, doing the same for him.

 

* * *

 

 

**Michael’s POV**

 

Michael was good at hiding his true insecurities.

In their previous shared dream of one of his memories, he had also chosen it hoping it wouldn’t show the hallucinations he’d experienced while he spent those four days without food or water in the forest. He was pleased that his dream didn’t show them to Barrie - granted, his visions were mild. A vision of small children offering him food and drink. A vision of a half naked male angel offering him to turn away from Satan and turn to God instead. A vision of his Ms. Mead, asking why she had allowed the witches to burn her at the stake with two of his warlock mentors. A vision of Anton LaVey, to which he conveyed his insecurities and doubts before the dark man in front of him vanished. He had hoped that she wouldn’t see the vision he had of the black goat, which he had taken a knife and slit its throat as he shouted at the sky covered in the goat’s blood. He was partially afraid, that as they dove deeper into his memories and she began to see what he had done and what was capable of, that she would become scared and leave. So he had started with a lighter end memory.

Still, he was secretly worried. He loved her more than anything, possibly more than he ever loved Ms. Mead and his grandmother.

 

He was taken aback during one of their sessions after they had dinner that night, and ultimately realized exactly how much she truly loved him.

They had been lying in bed, cuddling after making love twice. Neither of them were tired just yet, and it wasn’t long before they had both gotten aroused again. A short conversation had ensued first; Michael had remembered what Barrie had told him about her best friend in college and how she sometimes indulged in his personal kinks. Curiously, he dug through her mind to see if she had ever done anything else sexually that she hadn’t told him about. 

Although he already sensed it as she spoke, she told him in a low voice that the young man she lost her virginity to, a year before her friend in college and before her major sexual assault, she often sat on his face and they had attempted the dueling oral position (which he actually didn’t know what the name for was, and she giggled as she explained to him that it was referred to as 69 and why. He admitted to her that he had heard jokes about it - Jeff and Mutt were fans of making it - but naively hadn’t realized the context of it). 

“It’s actually really quite cute that you don’t know as much as you let on”, she said to him, tracing her fingers along the freckles on his chest that she enjoyed doing. “You ooze sex appeal and I guess I just kind of assumed you knew”. 

“I’m not inexperienced, as you know”, he said in response. “Most of it, is instinct and knowledge gained from my Father. I just know how to proceed, and what to do - but I do admit that even with this knowledge of actions, the terminology is something I’m not quite familiar with. I learned the slang terms for body parts and a few things here and there, but not everything. So... I admit, in addition to not knowing the name of this position, I didn’t quite know what the purpose of ‘sitting on someone’s face’ was for. Could you explain further?” 

Barrie chuckled at him, and Michael, reading her thoughts, suddenly felt his upper body turn hot and his abdomen drop. He knew what she was thinking. 

“Basically, it means that I would position myself where I was sitting without panties on, on top of your mouth, and you would eat me as you normally do, just instead of me on my back...”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence, as she noticed the sheets covering Michael’s legs rising. Just her describing the act to him had made him rock hard. 

“Looks like you did something”, he said to her with a raised eyebrow. He reached his hand under the sheet and brushed his fingers between her thighs. “Seems like you did something to yourself too”, he smirked. “I suppose I’ll have to remedy that for you now, perhaps in this sitting position you just described?”

”I think that can be arranged”, Barrie replied as she leaned in and kissed him before sitting up and throwing her leg over his chest. 

Michael had other ideas, instead picking her up by her hips and spinning her around. 

“You don’t have to perform on me”, he said to her reassuringly, laying down flat on his back and positioning her pelvis above his mouth. “I just want access to your ass as well”. 

He soon had his face buried between Barrie’s legs as she rode it from behind, taking delight as she bucked her hips and eventually came into his mouth. The new angle and sensations of being able to squeeze and nip at both her inner thighs and backside simultaneously drove Michael into a frenzy; his inhuman stamina was heightened and her juices flowed faster and more than normal. He enjoyed a challenge, and though he normally took great pleasure in being the dominant one, it felt oddly exilirating to allow her to be in control of the position. Usually, he enjoyed teasing and edging her a bit whenever he ate her pussy; this time, he reveled in her sopping wetness dripping like a flowing faucet onto his tongue and into his mouth. He licked and kissed and sucked at her lower lips like it was his last meal, all the while listening to the echo of her moans, which was music to his ears.

He felt even more thrilled when, his hands caressing the rounded curves of her ass in front of him, he impulsively spanked her harder than he normally did, and she, atypically of her, seemed to enjoy it more than usual. Her moaning got louder with each smack of his palm, Michael himself feeling internal esctacy as he somehow managed to continue to keep his lips on her lower ones directly above him. He also, considering the position, couldn’t help but flick his tongue inside her asshole teasingly as he squeezed and smacked each cheek above him.

So when she came a third time, despite being hard again, he didn’t care about his own needs as he would have been quite satisfied then and there.

But something changed in those moments.

She rolled off him, panting as she came down from the high of her orgasm as Michael lay there staring at her, his partner, his love, who was next to him. He wiped around his lips, licking his fingers to keep tasting every bit of herself that she left on him as his other hand reached out to gently caress her back as she sighed heavily. He thinks to himself as his eyes scan every inch of her bare body, about how in those first days, his desire to taste her was initially driven by curiousity and lust. He had given in to one of the very things he had despised about humans. But now, the lust had been combined with something else, a human emotion he still wasn’t sure he fully understood.

What he did know, was that he would now destroy anything and everyone in his path if that meant he would be able to taste both sets of her lips, to touch her, to feel her, to hold her in his arms, to be inside her, to have her next to him like this. He thought briefly about how lately his heart pounded like a drum and he felt overcome with emotion whenever she walked into the room, his entire body and being turning into a metaphorical puddle whenever his baby blue eyes laid themselves upon her. How even when his Father didn’t answer him, all he needed to do was look at Barrie and he would, albeit temporarily, forget his frustration. He had always scoffed at the idea that humans fell in love, but now he couldn’t imagine his life or purpose without her. 

He knew she felt similarly about him, but still had some doubts, not fully understanding that such doubts were common with humans in love. All his doubts were squashed completely in those next moments. 

A very short time later, she crawled up and positioned herself on top of him, slowly lowering her head and suddenly licking both of his nipples briefly, kissing slowly down his stomach and then began lightly rubbing her fingers over his shaft.

Something was definitely new.

Michael hoisted himself up on the bed by his elbows and watched as Barrie continued brushing her fingertips over his balls and his erection. She had only touched him a couple of times, and Michael hadn’t allowed it since the previous week when his demonic side came out unexpectedly, and he almost forced her to do something he knew she wasn’t comfortable with. He allowed it this time, having gotten himself under control and enjoying her featherlight touches against him. Usually after he went down on her, they would fuck to help him out, or if she was too tired, he would use his magic to turn off his arousal. (Michael has told her the truth, as he felt it unnecessary to masturbate when she was with him, and was far too proud to do it in front of her). 

He then noticed that her face was closing in towards it. 

“What are you doing?” He cocked his head and asked curiously. As much as Michael wasn’t a fan of unpredictability, except at his own bidding, he allowed it with Barrie, as it happened so rarely with her. When it did, it was usually something impressive to him. 

She looked up at him as he sat up completely. Barrie rolled off him, laid on her side and gave a small smile.

“I - I want to try something”, she said with a slight stammer in her voice. “If you’ll let me, that is.”

Michael’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t even have to say it - he already knew. He could see exactly what she was thinking in her mind. He was shocked, and didn’t know how to respond to her inquiry.

“You do know what I want to do, right?” she asked him. “Is it okay with you?” 

He blinked, still in shock.

“You - you don’t have to”, he said, and genuinely meaning it. “Your trauma...”

Barrie leaned her head forward and kissed his lips. “I want to”, she said in a quiet voice. “I love you so much, and I trust you. I want to try to pleasure you like you’ve been doing to me.”

Michael couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Just a few days earlier, she had broken down in tears when faced with something that had traumatized her for most of her adult life, and now she wanted to face that fear. She was offering to do something for him and he knew that was a massive step for her.

“Barrie. My love”, he said. “Are you sure?”

The serious look on her face said it all.

“If you want to stop at any point, just tell me”, he said, and once again genuinely meaning it. “I won’t finish in your mouth. I’ll let you know when I’m about to.”

“Thank you”, she said quietly.

Michael leaned forward and kissed her lips gently before sitting back a bit. He could sense how nervous she was, and in truth, he was nervous for her.

“I’ll guide you through it”, he said.

“Please”, she responded. “And anything you like that you think I should do differently, just let me know. Obviously it’s been a _really_ long time since I’ve done this, and I want to do it right for you”.

“Don’t worry about doing anything right”, Michael said in earnest. “Just you offering and wanting to means so much to me. I can tell you truly want to do this, and I can’t even begin to tell you how that makes me feel”.

He positioned himself allowing himself to be comfortable, and nodded his head, signaling to her that he was ready.

She took a deep breath and bent her head down again. He reached out and took one of her hands in his, holding it as he watched her. He gazed down at her as she pursed her lips together and blew a cool stream of air against his hardness before placing a light kiss on the head, which soon became a long, wet stripe of her tongue as she licked the entire length of his cock. He gripped her hand tightly, and she used her other hand to run her fingers along his balls as she finally enveloped his cock into her mouth.

Michael couldn’t help but reach down and gently stroke her hair as he watched the love of his life sucking him below. He couldn’t remember the last time he had actually gotten a blowjob - nor could he remember the name or gender of the person whom had given it to him. Oddly enough, he _did_ remember the first time he had been propositioned for one, which he ultimately turned down because he hadn’t cared at the time; the dead actress turned witch Madison Montgomery, while he was still attending the Hawthorne School and went to fetch her from her personal Hell, working retail in a big box store. She felt there was a catch to him bringing her back, and asked if she had to blow him in order for it to be done, followed by asking if she could anyway when he responded no. Michael had simply chuckled at her suggestion, and didn’t even get to reply when she offered a second time, as he was interrupted by the other person he had saved, the witch Queenie from the Hotel Cortez. He had resurrected them both to prove to Cordelia Goode and the other witches that he was powerful enough to be able to take the test of the Seven Wonders as his warlock mentors had wanted him to, and didn’t have the time or desire to allow it.

He eventually did allow people to perform such an intimate act on him, something he felt was far more so than average sexual penetration, but much like other sex acts, he eventually became bored. He didn’t care so much that Barrie hadn’t done it for him, as he loved giving on her end just enough, equally considering it slightly more intimate and allowing for more vulnerability.

This time, it felt different. Mostly because he knew what a big step she was taking by doing this. He was overwhelmed by the extremely pleasurable feeling of her warm tongue, her saliva glistening on his shaft as she bobbed her head, her hot breath against the hard, veiny skin. Michael’s breathing increased and he felt his stomach drop, a combination of not having felt this specific sensation in a while, and the rush of emotion he was feeling, knowing that she cared and trusted him enough to do this. Michael hadn’t been used to someone genuinely caring for him in a long time, and he didn’t feel he was deserving of it. He could sense she truly wanted to do this. He could feel in that moment all the love she had for him.  

She paused briefly and looked up at him, still allowing her tongue to caress his tip. Reading her thoughts, he knew she was subtly asking him if there was anything she could do to improve what she was doing. Her pretty hazel eyes sparkled and in any other instance, he would have found himself staring into them as he often did.

Michael reached down and picked up her other hand, placing her fingers around the base of his shaft. “Add some extra friction”, he suggested to her. “You’re doing so well... please keep going”, he added, wanting to assure her. He could see her trembling a bit, so he briefly let go of her hand and gently caressed the back of her neck to hopefully soothe her nerves a little.

“No need to worry”, he said. “Your mouth feels incredible. The extra friction will just help me cum faster. Please, continue”. 

She smiled at him and placed her lips around his length once again, pumping her small fist right along as she sucked him more.

Michael’s free hand now gripped at the sheets below him, the feeling of arousal building and becoming impossible to ignore. He squeezed his eyes shut almost as hard as he once again squeezed her other hand.

“Fuck... Barrie... oh fuck, I love you...” he couldn’t help himself but moan as she  got into a rhythm and went faster now. She wasn’t taking him completely down her throat, and he didn’t expect her to. He could have just as easily fucked her mouth and been rough with her, but he held back, knowing that this was intense enough for him emotionally. Still, he felt his hips thrust slightly as a natural instinct, but he knew it wasn’t much longer before he would release.

He heard her thinking that she had never enjoyed the taste the few times in her life she had done this before, and as he had promised, he decided he would tell her when he was ready.

He tried to hold back, but felt tears welling up in his eyes as he knew what was about to happen. As much as he wanted to try and savor the feeling of her lips and tongue around his cock, he was getting closer by the second and couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Barrie... I - I’m gonna...” he stammered.

She quickly pulled her mouth off of him, giving his shaft one final long lick but continuing to pump her fist. Michael moaned out an inhuman sounding grunt that was surely the work of the White Faced Demon as his cock began pulsing out at a rapid rate. He came just as hard, if not harder than he had when he had fucked her from behind in the shower and he slipped on the wet floor beneath him.

Michael collapsed backwards on the bed, breathing intensely as he came down from his own post orgasm high. Sweat was dripping down his face as he looked over at Barrie. She still held his cock in her small hand, and he noticed her wince as she released it, her hand covered in his semen. He made a smooth motion with his own hand and with a wave, her hand, the sheets, and everything else was suddenly clean.

He reached his hand out for her and motioned for Barrie to come lie next to him, and she did. She pushed strands of his damp hair out of his face as he moved close and nuzzled into her, peppering light kisses along her cheeks and jaw before finally settling on her lips, not caring that he was partially tasting what was left of himself on her.

“I can’t believe you did that. You did that for me”, he said quietly. “I don’t know what to say.”

He noticed Barrie had tears coming from her own eyes now, and he reached his thumb out to wipe them away.

“I can’t believe I did that either”, she said. “I wanted - I wanted to please you. To impress you”.

“I’m beyond impressed. I’m fucking proud”, he said quietly, brushing the backs of his fingers along her cheek. “That took so much for you to do, I’m sure. That was amazing. You - you’re amazing. Every day I see how strong you really are. Every day I find more and more reasons that make me truly know how much I love you. And... that was... I still can’t even believe it. You... you really love me, don’t you?”

“Did you doubt otherwise?” Barrie replied, shifting her body closer and allowing Michael to wrap his long arms around her.

“No”, he said softly into her ear. “I can of course tell how you feel. But, I also know you still feared me quite a bit. I want nothing more than for you to not fear me. And that was not only an incredible show of your strength, but that was such an act of pure love. I’m truly amazed at how far you’ve come, and how much you really care for me”.

“I do, Michael”, she said, hugging his body to hers. “I really do love you. I wanted you to know that. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to do that all the time...”

“You don’t have to”, he said, again meaning it. “I’ll let you go at a pace you’re comfortable with, or we can not. It doesn’t matter. Just the fact that you did that for me now? I can’t even begin to tell you how that makes me feel. I knew you were traumatized and had trouble trusting and that was a major part of it. For you to take that step, with me, and break that wall down? I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. That means the whole fucking world to me. I love you, so so much”.

He held her for some time, making a motion to blow the candles out and pulled the covers up over them when he noticed Barrie was struggling to keep her eyes open. There was no doubt in his mind now; he knew she truly did love him and he was confident that she was ready to begin seeing more of his past through their shared dreams, to understand his purpose. She belonged to him, and he was certain he wanted her to rule the new world by his side along with his robotic Ms. Mead. He hadn’t told her he sensed that within the next few days, there would be visitors to the Outpost and he had come up with a plan to kill everyone there, except for her and Mead.

She nuzzled into his chest and he stroked her hair, looking down at her. She noticed and looked up to meet his gaze.

“Do you think it’s possible that we can have some real food in the memory dream tonight?” she asked sweetly. “I mean, even if it’s not real”.

“Of course, Barrie”, Michael said in response. “For you, my love? Anything. In fact, I know of just the set of memories to show you. I know I said we were going to see how the robot Ms. Mead was created, so I’ll show you what led me to the creators as well. Trust me, there will be much food available”.

“I’m not sure if you knew this”, Barrie said as she brushed her fingers along his torso. “But I was a vegetarian before ending up here, and I don’t plan on changing that now, so... this sounds so fucking weird, I know, since it’s a dream or memory and all, but uh... will there be options for me?” She laughed quietly, and Michael couldn’t help but smile in response at her adorable request.

“Absolutely”, he said with a grin, leaning down and kissing her forehead gently. “In fact, the woman we’re about to meet in my memory made a delightful spinach lasagna”.

“Who is she?” Barrie asked, yawning.

“She was a very kind person that I met shortly after I left the forest in my previous memory”, Michael said. “Her name was Madelyn, and she took me in off the street once I ended up at the Satanic congregation I belonged to. She was quite important to me, so even though you can’t interact with her, know that she was one of the few people in my life who treated me with any form of decency”.

 

As Barrie finally drifted to sleep, Michael repeated his Latin incantations to set the scene for the dream spell. He watched her as she slept, as he found himself often doing, taking in her scent and keeping track of each breath she drew. He had come to the conclusion that she was meant for him, possibly even sent by his Father. He found it curious that she had resided in Outpost 3 where he had placed along with the robot Ms. Mead, and where a witch from the Coven he had sworn revenge on all those years ago was hiding out. It couldn’t be a coincidence anymore that they all were in the same compound, he thought. Perhaps she was given to him by his Father as part of his dark plan for him. He knew something was coming, though he wasn’t sure quite when... so he had to work fast. He would show her as much of his past as he could through their dreams. He knew she was meant to rule by his side. 

Sensing that things were going to change soon, he decided to perform another quick ritual. He transmuted from his bed into his ritual room; cutting his skin and drawing another pentagram on the floor with his blood. 

“ _Father_ , _please_ ”, he spoke. “ _Take my blood as a sacrifice and protect her. They will be coming soon. In a few days, it will be time to put our plan in motion. She is my everything, and I want her to be safe. Give her strength. Some of her blood sits inside me already. Please, use your dark gifts. Just please... keep her safe from harm. Bring none to her. Bind me to her_ ”. 

He felt his eyes turn black as snakes appeared at his feet. 

 

Michael soon returned to bed, his own eyes eventually fluttering shut, as his wounds healed. When they opened, he was standing with Barrie in a dark alleyway outside of a black door with an upside down cross marked on it.

They watched as a vision of Michael’s younger self, a much more ragged and dirtier version of the one from the previous dream, slowly approached the door down the alley.

Michael turned and looked at Barrie.

“We’re here”, he said. “Welcome to where I first encountered my Satanic followers”. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is picking up now... had to happen at some point, right? This, and the next chapter, is going fairly canon and will show the events of “Sojourn”, except viewed through the eyes of Michael and Barrie in their shared dream. 
> 
> I cut a part out, for those who’ve seen the show, you know which, because I’m dragging out Michael truly showing her his evil side. We’re working up to that.

Standing in the damp alley in the same jeans, T-shirt, hoodie and black sneakers as I had in the previous memory, I held on to Michael’s arm as we watched the younger, shorter-haired version of himself saunter slowly down the stairs past the bouncer to the door with the upside down cross. He looked more ragged, clearly after being in the woods for a few days; his clothes were dirty and torn, and he had the beginnings of facial hair beginning to set on his chin and neck. 

I kept thinking that he looked really sexy with stubble, but kept it to myself as I felt it wasn’t relevant. Again, I forgot that he knew what I was thinking, as Michael looked down at me and shot me his half smile.

“Why, thank you”, he said, bending down and kissing the side of my head. I felt my face get hot.

“When we wake up, can we talk about you growing out some facial hair for a day or two?” I said to him with a smile.

“Perhaps”, he replied, reaching down and taking my hand. “But come. Let’s do what we came here to do. Would you like to transmutate with me?”

“Um, yes!” I said excitedly. “I didn’t know I could with you!”

“You never asked”, he said with a smirk. He squeezed my hand and suddenly, the scenery changed - we were inside now, sitting in the back pew of presumably was the inside of this Satanic church. The walls of the room were painted red, lit only by four large hanging chandeliers and candles, much like the Outpost was. A large upside down cross, similar to the one on the door to this place, hung on the wall in front of us. I looked around and noticed a pentagram drawn in the middle of the hardwood floor between the pews.

I watched as younger Michael wandered inside, looking frustrated as he took a place in a pew a couple of rows in front of us. The pastor (was that what it was called here?), was a tall woman with curly brown hair dressed head to toe in a red clergy uniform, also adorned with a pentagram.

“People, listen the fuck up!” She beckoned to the entire room. “Just because we have a president who’s a total douche-nozzle, and global warming is getting worse, that doesn’t mean you can just sit here on your lazy asses and holler out a few ‘Hail Satans’! You think End Times is just gonna show up like a herpes sore?”

“Wow, this isn’t like any other kind of sermon I’ve ever imagined”, I whispered to Michael. “Is that Madelyn?”

“You don’t need to whisper. They can’t hear or see us”, he reminded me. “And no. This woman is Hannah. She was a bit... eccentric”.

“I’ll say”, I responded and watched younger Michael in front of us.

“I’m so tired of preaching to the goddamn choir”, Hannah continued. “What aren’t you getting? You know the drill. The Antichrist is gonna ride in on a wave of sin and all we have here is a weak piss dribble. Somebody, _please_ help me out. I’m about ready to gouge out my own eyes so I don’t have to look at this weak-ass congregation anymore! I need to hear some _sin_! I need to feel we’re making way for him!”

Hannah began going around the room, asking a few different patrons what evil, Satanic deeds they had done recently. I barely paid attention as I kept staring at young Michael in front of us, looking haggard and running his palm over his face, presumably in frustration as he listened to the acts people spoke of. I squirmed against the cherry wood of the pew when I felt my Michael running his hand up my thigh and settled it between my legs.

“Never thought I would see the day that I would be competing with myself as a younger man for your affections”, he spoke in my ear, and I shoved him playfully.

“Oh, stop it”, I said. “I’m just fascinated watching you, since I didn’t know you then. You seem so different.” And he did - his younger self seemed unsure, lacking in the smoothness and confidence he currently had, in addition to shorter hair.

“This was during a period when I was still struggling to understand my purpose. My path”, he said to me. “Ms. Mead’s death took quite a toll on me. I’m positive those four days in the forest led me to this congregation though.” Michael paused as he pointed to his younger self, and I watched as an older woman with long, grey-ish brown hair sitting next to him in the pew handed him the donation basket that had begun going around. “And it also led me to her”, he continued. “This is Madelyn”.

“I don’t have any money right now”, I heard young Michael say to Madelyn in a low, sad sounding voice.

“Or any food from the looks of it”, she responded, and even from behind her, I could see she looked concerned. She handed the basket to the person sitting in front of her and turned to look at young Michael. “How long’s it been since you’ve eaten, kid?”

“What’s it to you?” I watched as young Michael looked down with his head titled and I could see his arms were folded.

“Just trying to help out a fellow believer”, she said to him as she sighed. “You know, after the service, I could fix you something. My place is only a couple blocks from here”.

Young Michael turned and faced her.

“That’s actually really nice of you”, I heard him say with a quiver in his voice.

I could see Madelyn smirking at him from her profile in front of us. “What can I say?” she said. “Nobody’s perfect”.

We watched a little more of the service, my Michael sliding his arm around me and holding me close. I was still taking in everything around us and felt his lips brushing against my neck.

“What’s gotten into you?” I asked with a chuckle. I looked up and saw the service was winding down.

“What, you’ve never had a fantasy of fucking inside a church?” he purred into my ear. “Even a Satanic one?”

“You’re really taking advantage of this dream, aren’t you?” I said, turning to look at him.

“I’m just teasing, of course”, he said, pointing to the pews in front of us. I watched as younger Michael stood up and walked into the hallway with Madelyn as everyone else around us began to disperse. “Besides”, he continued. “We will need to appear at Madelyn’s house. She discovered who I was shortly after I arrived there”.

“How?” I asked curiously.

Michael paused, and turned his head as he lifted a chunk of his long hair from behind his ear, finally revealing the Mark of the Beast to me. I reached up and traced my fingers slowly along the 666 pattern embedded on his skin. It felt hot to the touch, similar to the heat already emanating from Michael’s skin.

“I’m aware you saw it the other day”, he said, dropping his hair back. “That’s partially why I was concerned you weren’t coming back”.

“I don’t scare so easily”, I said, not knowing what I was saying. Michael turned and pulled me in for a quick kiss as he held my hand, and in a split second, we were no longer in the Satanic church, but inside of a house.

 

* * *

 

 

We sat on the couch in the living room as I heard a key turning in the lock on the front door, watching as Madelyn and younger Michael came inside. Young Michael took a seat at her dining room table and she entered the kitchen. I stood up and followed her, watching as she took some containers out of her refrigerator and a pot out of one of her cabinets.

“Where’s this famous spinach lasagna?” I asked my Michael eagerly as I came back to him in the living room.

He laughed and pulled me into him, settling my body between his legs as he sat.

“You’re far too cute”, he said, taking one of my hands and kissing my knuckles. “You’ll see it in the next part of the memory after this. Just watch. I’ll speed this part up if you wish”.

Michael made a motion with his hand anda flash of light appeared briefly before us, but was gone almost as soon as it appeared. When it completely disappeared, we were both sitting at the dining room table across from Madelyn and young Michael, who was now working his way through a bowl of soup and some bread while Madelyn sat in the chair adjacent to him. 

“I sped up the dream just a bit”, my Michael said to me. “It wasn’t necessary to waste the half hour watching her cook and my younger self sulking at the table”.

I rolled my eyes at him and watched the younger version of him eating in front of me. The soup looked delicious, even though I couldn’t see what was in it, and I found myself wishing more for the food Michael had promised me.

 

“What’s your name, kid?” Madelyn asked him as she lit a cigarette.

“Michael”, he responded, taking a piece of bread and dipping it into his soup bowl.

“You must have been starving”, Madelyn spoke again. “I’ve seen a lot of young people like you come to our church off the five stars on Yelp and the free doughnut at check-in. They all had the same look you do. Scared. Searching. Questioning what the hell this all means. So, what's your story? How did you end up all alone and at our beloved Satan's doorstep?”

“My father abandoned me”, Michael sighed. “And my mother tried to kill me”.

I looked over at my Michael, remembering when he had told me the exact same thing a week earlier. He reached over and squeezed my hand underneath the table.

“Humanity... is shit”, Madelyn continued.“This world is a twisted black hole of sin and chaos, and that's why Satanism is the way of the future. We are the fastest-growing religion in the world, so we need people like you. Bright, eager, the next generation to help spread the word of Lucifer. ‘Cause here's the beautiful secret, babe. Once you embrace that at our core we are degenerate, rotten beings, every last one of us - you'll be free. Satanism is about giving in to your urges, embracing sin, your true nature. I sold my soul to the Devil, and he gave me everything I ever wanted”.

Young Michael looked up from his soup bowl.

“You sold your soul?” He questioned. “Did you sign a contract in blood?”

“I made a deal in a Black Mass, as one does”, Madelyn said. “Through prayer. And by prayer, I mean killing people. It works”.

I looked over at my Michael. “What the...” I started to ask, but he interrupted. “Let her finish”, he said.

“You're standing in the proof,” Madelyn continued. “I offered up my soul, and he gave me all this. Riches beyond compare.” She gestured with her hands to the walls and room around them, causing young Michael to let out a chuckle.

The older woman rose from the chair and walked into her living room, motioning for younger Michael to follow her, which he did.

“I've got a a La-Z-Boy, a-a cable package with all the premium channels,” she said, pointing to both her armchair and the HD TV set mounted on the wall.

“I shoot up heroin as much as I want, and I never get the sweats. And every Wednesday night Brad Pitt comes over and fucks me till the sun comes up.” She smirked. “On Friday nights I get Ryan Reynolds.”

I laughed out loud, looking over at my Michael, who didn’t seem amused or impressed. The younger version of him didn’t either. In fact, his younger self looked almost disappointed.

“So that’s all it is, then?” younger Michael sighed and looking defeated, walking back into the dining room. “Satan is carnal pleasure”.

I glanced at my Michael again. “Well, your priorities certainly have changed”, I said to him with a grin.

He leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips. “Many things have changed since I met you”, he said, shooting me a half smile. “Let’s just continue watching”.

“Hell no!” Madelyn chuckled. “We've got a greater purpose. We are moving towards the beginning of the end. Our savior is coming. The spawn of Satan will lead us off the cliff and into the End Times. We just have to make things terrible enough for him to rise. We are the fetid, rancid, contaminated soil from which he will bloom...”

She paused, then continued with a pant. “And then plunge us in eternal darkness so that we can walk with Satan in eternal hellfire!”

Young Michael sat there and rolled his eyes. “I hate to break it to you”, he said. “But you’re waiting in vain”.

Madelyn’s eyes widened as she got up and walked into her kitchen. “What are you talking about?” She said from the other room.

Younger Michael sat there and stared off into space.

“I’m the one you’re waiting for”, he said quietly.

Suddenly, Madelyn ran back into the dining room holding a large chef’s knife, which she grabbed younger Michael by the hair, threw his head back and stuck the blade at his throat.

I jumped in my chair watching this play out in front of us.

“How dare do you blaspheme!” Madelyn shouted at younger Michael as she pushed the blade of the knife to his neck.

“Before you kill me, dear believer”, he said, tilting his head so that his right ear was in her field of vision. “See me”.

Madelyn pushed his blonde curls away, and reacted in shock, dropping the knife to the floor.

“She saw my mark”, my Michael said to me. “That changed her tune”.

Madelyn dropped to the floor and kneeled at younger Michael’s feet. “Hail Satan! Our Savior has risen!”

I felt my Michael grab my hand, and suddenly we were in a dining hall, surrounded by Hannah, Madelyn and the other members of the Satanic congregation.

 

* * *

  

Younger Michael sat at a table with multiple plates of food around him, as the patrons of the congregation stared at him intensely as he ate.

I hung back at another table with my Michael as we watched.

“This was the following evening”, he said to me. He looked around the room and sighed. “Madelyn made me show them all the mark behind my ear during the service, and I helped with a Black Mass. This is the weekly potluck they held. I was going to show you the Mass, but since you keep asking for food...”

He paused and gestured behind me to another table, which held an assortment of pots and aluminum trays of food, plus plastic cups, plates and utensils. I wasted no time and jumped up to fix myself a plate (which I was able to discern which dishes were meatless due to them thankfully being all labeled), including this famed lasagna and some macaroni salad.

Taking my plate back to Michael, I began eating and tried to savor the taste, especially considering this wasn’t real. (Though it sure felt like it.)

“I suppose we’ve reached that point in the relationship where you have to watch me eat now”, I said jokingly to Michael. “Hopefully you won’t break up with me over it”.

He shot me a half smile.

“Oh, hush”, he said. “It’s a natural need. Why? Should that make me care for you any less?”

I shrugged. “I guess sometimes if people are messy eaters, that could be a negative quality...”

Michael leaned forward across the table and stroked my hand with his. “I find it adorably amusing that considering what I’ve shown you, right now all you’re concerned about is if I’ll still love you based on the way you consume food?” He said with a grin.

“I haven’t seen anything really bad”, I said, taking a bite of lasagna. “You didn’t show me the Black Mass. I’m sure it wasn’t that bad though, unless you killed someone”. I laughed at my joke, although Michael didn’t laugh back. He became somewhat eerily silent.

“I told you, the dreams are erratic”, he said finally. “I can’t fully control everything you see. I did purposely skip over the Mass, but only because I didn’t want to deny you food.”

“And I greatly appreciate that”, I said, taking another forkful of lasagna.

I leaned in and listened as I heard the congregation members begin speaking to younger Michael.

“Is it too spicy?” I heard Madelyn ask him.

“No”, Michael replied. “It’s good”.

Hannah raised her hands to the air. “Oh thank the Dark Lord!”, she exclaimed. “It’s my mother’s recipe!”

“Now try the macaroni salad”, a woman suggested to Michael.

“No, the turkey meatballs!” A man chimed in.

Hannah suddenly reached her hand down and stroked younger Michael’s blonde curls. “May I touch your hair?” she asked, to which Michael gave her a confused and dirty look in response.

I giggled and looked over at my Michael, who was rolling his eyes.

“For future reference”, he said to me. “You’re the only one who gets to touch my hair. Well, besides me”. He winked at me and I rolled my eyes back at him.

“Let the kid eat!”, Madelyn suddenly shouted. “Or - is something wrong? What can we get you? What can we do?”

Younger Michael looked more than a little overwhelmed. “I think everyone should just do what you normally do”, he said. “Have fun. Enjoy your Wednesday potluck dinner like always”.

“You heard him!” Madelyn shouted again, rising from her chair and shooing people away. “Our guest of honor eats at his own pace!”

I watched as everyone finally scattered away, leaving Michael and Madelyn by themselves.

“Though, I can personally vouch for the spinach lasagna”, she said quietly to him. “It would be the honor of my life to watch you eat it”.

Younger Michael smiled as he continued eating.

“So what happens next?” She asked him.

“Probably your lasagna”, he replied shyly.

“No”, Madelyn replied, laughing. “I mean on the global annihilation front. What do we do first? When do we do it?”

“I’m not sure”, Michael responded. 

“What do you mean you’re not sure?” Madelyn questioned.

“I don’t know what to do or where to begin”.

“But you’re the Antichrist...”

“Which people won’t let me forget”, Michael said, putting his spoon down and sounding frustrated. “Everyone keeps saying that I’m special, that I’m the only one who can bring about the End Times...”

He rose from his chair and reached across the table.

“But no one gave me a _fucking_ instruction manual!” He shouted now before sitting back down slowly.

“And the one person who always helped me, who I could always turn to for advice”, he said, and I could see he was starting to cry. My Michael looked somber as he reached over and squeezed my hand again.

“She’s gone now”, young Michael continued, sobbing. “I have no one”.

“Oh, I think there are some people you need to see”, Madelyn said.

“Who?” Young Michael asked.

“Just trust me”, she replied, taking her phone out of her pocket. “Now is not the time to bury yourself in doubt. This person who helped you, what was her name?”

“Ms. Miriam Mead”.

“We have access to private search engines that can find anyone”, Madelyn said, typing something on her phone. “And there she is! We’ll just go and pick her up!”

“It’s not possible”, Michael said, hanging his head and his voice quivering. “I’m not powerful enough to bring her back. Not anymore, at least. She’s dead”.

“Dead?” Madelyn said, moving her chair closer to the table. “That’s something we can work around.”

She leaned forward and spoke quietly.

“You are the son of Satan. There is no one or no thing you cannot have”.

I finished my plate of food and watched as the congregants dispersed. My Michael stood up and gestured to the end of the table as we watched Madelyn and younger Michael left the room.

“So, what now?” I asked him.

“It appears that we’re both still asleep, so I’m going to stretch this out as far as I am able to allow it”, he said. “Worst case scenario, we can try again another night. Or day, if we take a nap. In the meantime... let’s go on a little road trip, shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, is anyone reading this? I have a few kudos and a couple bookmarks, but no comments. I feel like this isn’t being read and I also feel invalid compared to the other fics here. If ANYONE is reading this, can you leave a comment? Anything I should change? Do different? Better?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little chapter to update and move the plot along. Figured this would be a good couple of scenes from the “Sojourn” episode to have Michael start showing Barrie who he really is. 
> 
> I have parts of a chapter written dealing with the aftermath of this revelation, but decided to not include it in here, and make it separate into a longer chapter. Hang tight, it’s coming!

There was another flash, and the next thing I knew, Michael and I were sitting in the backseat of a red Convertible, Madelyn driving with younger Michael in the passenger seat. I noticed the ocean to the left of us, and a freeway sign indicated we were driving along the 101 and passing Santa Barbara. 

It was a gorgeous day, bright and sunny, and I took a deep breath, trying to smell the ocean air that I hadn’t smelled in a year and a half.

“Would you believe that Madelyn drove me all the way from Los Angeles to Silicon Valley, the following day?” Michael said to me.

“Holy shit, really?” I said in surprise. “What’s in Silicon Valley?”

Michael shot me a half smile again. “You’ll see”.

“I don’t know why you won’t just tell me exactly where we’re going”, younger Michael said up in front of us, hanging his hand off the side of the car, blowing into the wind.

“I’m sorry”, Madelyn said. “I’m already freaked out I’ve said too much. And you being who you are”.

“It’s okay”, younger Michael said, also chuckling. “You don’t have to be nervous around me. I’m the same guy as I was when you met me”.

“That is _so_ not true”, Madelyn laughed.

“Just tell me”, Michael’s younger self insisted.

Madelyn sighed. “Okay”, she said after a short pause. “We are, like, a secret network. We all know each other”.

“A secret network of people who sold their souls?” Young Michael asked.

“Yeah”, Madelyn replied. “And if you think about this network like it's a hotel, then I am taking you to the penthouse. No one is gonna pass up a chance to meet the true son of the Most Foul. If there is anyone who can help get you back on track, they can.”

“Who are these people in Silicon Valley?” I asked my Michael, as I stretched.

“Members of the Cooperative, who ultimately created the android Ms. Mead”, he said, and I noticed him groaning. “If you’re tired, get some rest. Trust me... you’ll need to be well rested before meeting these gentlemen”.

“It’s funny that this is a dream, and I am still sleepy”, I said, noticing I finally yawned. “Kind of like I slept in the one last night”.

“I don’t know how to explain it, though I can tell you that when you awaken in this memory, we will be there”, he said. “Sleep, my love. You’re welcome to lay your head here”. He patted his knees.

I bent over on my side and placed my head on Michael’s lap, feeling him stroking my hair and gently caressing his fingers against my cheek as I closed my eyes and dozed off.

When I opened my eyes, Michael’s face was the first thing I saw.

“We’re here”, he said, taking my hand. I barely had time to compose myself; the next thing I knew, we were standing outside of a large, rounded white building with brightly tinted windows. I looked over and saw younger Michael kneeling by the side of the car, holding Madelyn’s hand as they talked quietly. I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“It’s not much of an interesting conversation”, my Michael said to me, clearly reading my thoughts again. “She’s telling me that she is leaving me here, and asking me to put a word in with my Father to send her to the farthest reaches of Hell whenever the End Times finally come. I told her I would see what I could do. Little did she know how rarely he answers me”.

Their quiet talking quickly shifted. Younger Michael, strolling towards the door of the building with his jacket slung over his shoulder, turned to look back at Madelyn. She raised her arms in the air and shouted “Hail Satan!” excitedly a few times. Younger Michael giggled and put his finger to his lips to shush her as he entered the building.

We watched and stood there as she drove away.

“Welcome to Keneros Robitics”, my Michael said to me, taking my hand and once again, we transmutated. With a flash, we were inside a long corridor with grey walls and we followed his younger self down the hall.

 

* * *

  

We watched and followed younger Michael, going past the lobby, up into an elevator and exited towards a small room with glass windows. I could see three figures in the distance inside the room, which as we got closer, I noticed was filled with various types of robot arms, legs, and what looked like bald mannequins with metal appendages.

As we approached the room, I began to make out the three figures I could see: two men and a woman. Both were skinny, and both had chin-length bowl-cut styles haircuts that looked completely ridiculous on both of them; the only difference being that one had blonde hair and the other was a brunette. The brunette man had a light beard on his face and wore a blue collared shirt with slacks ; the blonde was clean shaven, wearing black jeans, a red striped T-shirt and a black zip up hoodie. They seemed to be messing around on a robot, and I noticed the woman sitting on the desk across from them was very pretty, thin with black hair and dressed in tight black leather dress.

“Brace yourself for stupidity”, my Michael said to me as we followed his younger self, who was approaching the glass door to the room.

“Who are these people, now?” I asked. “Why the hell do these guys have such awful haircuts? I don’t think I’ve seen a bowl cut since I was a kid”.

Michael rolled his eyes. “The brown haired one is Mutt Nutter”, he said, and I burst out laughing at the name. “The blonde is Jeff Pfister. Two of the biggest idiots I have ever encountered in my life. Completely coked out, and very infuriating people in general, but they were also mechanical geniuses. For all intents and purposes, they were the research and development team from the Cooperative who ultimately designed Ms. Mead’s android that resides in Outpost 3, the one you have come to know”.

“Wait, these guys designed her?” I asked in shock.

“Hard to believe, I know”, Michael replied. “But yes”.

“And who is the woman?” I asked.

Michael smirked. “Sex worker”, he responded. “Jeff and Mutt were fans of hiring them and keeping them around their office. Don’t know much else about her. I never caught her name. Didn’t care”.

“Did you just kick her out of the room or something?” I asked, watching as young Michael knocked on the glass door.

My Michael’s look shifted and he didn’t reply, merely placing his hand on my back as we transmutated into the room once the door opened and closed, letting his younger self inside.

“Dude, what’s up?” Mutt said as younger Michael walked through the door. “Come on in. Dying to meet you”.

“Yeah, Madelyn’s really been talking you up”, Jeff chimed in.

“That lady is whacked, right?” Mutt added, as he and Jeff both chuckled. “But she seems totally convinced that you’re The One”.

“No offense, but I thought you would be a little bit more jacked”, Jeff said. He held out his arms and mimicked a movement similar to The Hulk. “Like, I was picturing you totally ripped, like The Rock when he was, you know... The Rock”.

“Yeah... that’s like, stereotypical, dude”, Mutt said to him with a concerned look.

“What do you mean?” Jeff asked.

“Yeah, that’s not cool”, Mutt said in response. “Uh, what’s your name again?”

“Michael”, his younger self said quietly. “Langdon”.

“Michael Langdon?” Mutt questioned. “I mean, got to admit, that’s a little weak, right?”

“Yeah”, Jeff said with a laugh. “Shouldn’t you be like, ‘Beelzebub’ or some shit like that?” Both of the men laughed out loud. “‘Old Scratch’?” Jeff added, giving Mutt a high five.

Young Michael rolled his eyes at the men and looking angry, turned to walk towards the door.

“Oh, dude, dude, dude!” Jeff protested and ran towards young Michael.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!” Mutt said. “Dude, dude. Hey, hey... uh, no, no, we believe you. It’s just, you know, I thought I would be like, pissing my pants or something, but I am dry as the Sahara, bro”. The brown haired bowl-cut man lifted up the bottom of his shirt and gestured towards his legs.

“Yeah”, Jeff said. “You gotta look at it from our shoes here. I mean, how do we know you’re The Antichrist?”

“Yeah, how do we know?” Mutt asked.

Young Michael turned around and reached up to push a chunk of his blonde curls aside, the side covering the Mark of the Beast behind his right ear. He showed it off to both men.

I turned to look at my Michael, who was standing next to me and watching this all unfold with a stern look on his face. He turned and looked down at me.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with these... people”, I said to him, feeling like the word “idiot” was a massive understatement.

“Don’t worry about it”, he said, reaching down and lacing his fingers through mine. “Listen, Barrie... I want you to please not be afraid”.

“What are you talking about?” I said. “Afraid of what? These losers?”

Michael didn’t respond, instead squeezing my hand hard.

“Yeah, I mean, that’s cool”, I heard Mutt say to young Michael about the mark behind his ear. “But it’s just a tattoo on your scalp”.

“No!” The black haired woman suddenly chimed in, and the look on her face turned into a look of intense fear. “It’s true. I can feel the darkness. It’s making me sick and it’s coming from him!” She looked over at younger Michael, jumped off the desk she was sitting on, and ran outside the door of the room.

I watched as younger Michael’s eyes rolled back into his head.

There was a bright flash of flames coming from outside the room, and I turned and jumped - the sex worker had suddenly, literally, burst completely into flames, and her body fell to the ground singed to a crisp.

I clasped my hand over my mouth in shock and horror. My Michael kept squeezing my hand, and I yanked it away from him.

“Holy shit!” Jeff and Mutt both shouted together, watching as the woman’s body had fallen to the floor outside. They looked at younger Michael equally in shock. He turned to look back at them, his face turning to the pale veiny face with black eyes as the lights in the room flickered and I heard what sounded like a crash of thunder.

Mutt and Jeff both fell to the floor, chanting “Hail Satan!” repeatedly as they bowed to him. Younger Michael merely stood there with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

I turned and looked at my Michael.

“Did - did you...”. I stammered. “That woman... holy fuck, did you... you did that?!” I said, not knowing what else to say.

Michael reached forward and touched my shoulder. I noticed the room around us had suddenly begun to blur, and the objects in the room began disappearing, which meant that one or both of us was waking up and the dream was ending.

“Don’t try and deny it, Barrie”, Michael said to me. “You already know who I am. It’s time you knew that, for real, what I’ve done and what I am capable of. I just hope you can understand. I want you to still love me”.

 

I didn’t even have a chance to answer him, as he disappeared in front of me. I am pretty sure the last thing I did was feel myself start to cry as everything around me went dark.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s another chapter! Was planning on making this longer, but that didn’t work out too well. 
> 
> So, now Michael breaks down and tells Barrie everything after their last dream. She’s upset, he’s upset, they argue, lots of angst, lots of crying, and the plot moves along a bit. There’s some mild smut (pre smut?), but you know there’s trouble in paradise between these two when she’s far too upset for love making. 
> 
> Sadness and softness abounds, bring tissues.

I woke up feeling startled and drenched in sweat. 

Sitting up, I noticed Michael was already dressed and at his computer.

He sat with his back turned to me as I hopped off the bed.

“Good morning, sleepyhead”, he said sweetly to me as I walked straight past him, not even acknowledging him, into the bathroom and locked the door behind me.

I hopped in the shower and tried to keep my mind off what I had just seen in the dream. As soon as I finished and turned the water off, I saw Michael’s profile behind the glass doors and sure enough, there he was in front of me when I opened it. 

“Oh, fuck off with that transmutation shit”, I said to him gruffly as I grabbed a towel from his bathroom vanity and wrapped it around my torso.

“I think we should talk about this”, he said calmly, reaching his hand out and touching my cheek.

“There’s nothing to say”, I said, removing his hand. “You showed me  \- you made that woman _light_ _on_ _fire_!  With your powers! She didn’t do anything, she was innocent!” 

“Barrie, listen to me”, he said lowly, moving forward. “Please try and understand where I was coming from. I already explained to you I had these compulsions to kill ever since I was born.”

“You must think I’m a naive idiot”, I said, feeling myself starting to cry. “I actually thought you were exaggerating when you told me that.” 

Tears were fully streaming down my cheeks now. “What else aren’t you telling me?” I asked. “What else - who else have you murdered? The dream where you were in the woods, I heard you say Ms. Mead was burned at the stake by witches. Care to explain that?” 

Michael sighed. I shoved his hand off my face and sat down on the toilet, sobbing harder. Standing over me, he looked down and had a look of seriousness on his face. 

“The real Ms. Mead was burned at the stake”, he said in a low, solemn voice. “She was burned along with two of the warlock mentors I trained with. They were my only true allies, and once they discovered who I was, they were murdered for being my accomplices”.

I looked up and stared at him. 

“Who murdered them, Michael?” I asked. “ Tell me. Honestly”. 

Michael sighed again. “Witches”, he said quietly. “You asked me the other day if I had ever met any? Well, yes, I did. When I trained with the warlocks, they were under the impression that I was not the Antichrist, but rather, the Alpha. The head of magic has always been a female Supreme. The Supreme is a witch who runs an academy, a Coven for young witches in New Orleans...”

I suddenly knew exactly who and what he was referring to. 

“I - I’ve seen them on the news”, I said. “When they went public, in 2014. This Supreme witch, her name is Cordelia something?”

“Cordelia Goode. Yes, that’s her”, Michael continued. “The warlocks called her and some of her fellow witches for a council meeting to discuss me taking a test known as The Seven Wonders. It’s a test of seven magical abilities, some of which I have shown you already. They wanted me to be their Alpha, to uproot the Supreme and become the new leader. Cordelia suspected I had a far darker purpose - oh, she was the bane of my existence, but she certainly was clever. She figured out who I really was, and my mentors and Ms. Mead were murdered by her for it. She did offer to have me join them. I refused. What I showed you in the woods, was the aftermath of that day. I swore I would avenge their deaths - and I did. In more ways than one”. 

I took a deep breath. 

“Michael”, I said. “Tell me - what did you do?”. 

“I was planning on showing you in another dream”, he said. “Jeff and Mutt, after they created Ms. Mead, made her into the ultimate killing machine. We took a little trip out to New Orleans and paid their academy a visit the following week. Oh, my dear Barrie, it was quite the bloodbath, let me tell you - but despite that, a few witches, including Cordelia, were not inside the school. I couldn’t find them or locate them. So, I had to do what was presented to me when an option became available. If I couldn’t kill them directly, I had to make sure they were... even if that meant taking others down with them”.

“Michael - what, what are you saying?” I asked, tears streaming down my face even harder now. I grabbed a piece of toilet paper off the roll next to the sink and blew my nose, as I was crying so hard it was uncontrollable now.

“As for the apocalypse”, he continued. “Those coked out nerds manipulated me and set me up! I just wanted to destroy the witches for killing Ms. Mead and my warlock teachers!”

A lump formed in my throat. I didn’t want to believe what he was saying. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t. 

“Michael”, I said silently. “Did - did _you_ cause the apocalypse? Did you set off the bombs?” 

He hung his head, and I could see his eyes getting wet. “The Cooperative, that I am the de facto leader of. Jeff and Mutt were members and introduced me to them. You might actually have heard of them, as they went by another name to the average person - they were known as the Illuminati...”

I made a face, thinking to myself that it wasn’t possible, as from what little I knew about them, the Illuminati didn’t really exist. 

“Most people do not believe they do”, Michael said, as again I had forgotten he could read my thoughts. “They explained to me that ‘The Cooperative’ is merely a code name they go by. A number of world leaders, tech giants, some of the richest people in the world, all sold their souls to my Father and were waiting for me to come and lead them. With Jeff and Mutt’s help, we set up a plan. Constructed and set up the various Outposts around the world. In fact, this very Outpost that we are standing in right now, was where I lived and trained with the warlocks as a boy. It was known then as The Hawthorne School for Exceptional Young Men”.

”When I first arrived here”, I said, remembering what we all had been told. “Ms. Venable mentioned that this had once been an elite boys’ school...”

“Indeed it was,” Michael continued. “I purposely chose it as an Outpost due to the building already being located underground and knowing it would be able to withstand the radiation outside, and it equally came prepared with rooms and resources. I helped handpick the people who would reside in them; members of the Cooperative, their families, or people who paid their way in. With my permission, they - we - orchestrated the plan for the nuclear bombs to go off. It was the most effective way to make sure the witches... even if others died, it was the only guarantee they would too. That was all that mattered to me”.

I sat there with my jaw open. I couldn’t even begin to process what I was hearing from him. A mixture of emotions overcame me - shock, sadness, anger, and a small bit of fear. 

Michael clearly sensed my discomfort as he stood there, looking down at his feet. “Please, Barrie”, he said, his voice shaking. “Say something. Anything. I hear what you’re thinking and feeling, but your silence is destroying me right now”. 

“But you still allowed them to set off fucking _nuclear_ bombs!” I shouted. “Michael - because of you and your ego, and your want for revenge, billions of innocent people are dead! The world is covered in radiation! Everyone I’ve ever known is dead- my friends, my family... I have no one left”.

He stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. 

“You have me”, he said quietly. “Despite what I am, and my purpose, I’m still madly in love with you and I  know you love me back. I can sense everything you feel and think. You and Ms. Mead are the only things that matter to me in the world. My Father promised me everything. Wouldn’t you want to be my queen in this new world? You will have everything you’ve ever wanted and desired. I will give you the world -“

“I don’t want the world”, I interrupted him. “I just want...”

Michael kneeled down in front of me and held my hand in his. 

“What do you want, Barrie?” He asked quietly. “Tell me. Anything you want, it’s yours”.

“I - I want...” I said, tears really  streaming down my cheeks now. I tried to resist but Michael pulled me in for a tight hug. 

“I want to be with you”, I said to him, stroking his hair. “But I want - I just want normalcy. I want a normal relationship. No ruler of the world. No murders. No revenge. Just normal”.

Michael let out another long sigh and pulled away, placing his hands on my cheeks and leaned in to kiss my forehead. 

“I’m sorry, my love”, he whispered. “I’m not normal. I can’t be. I have a destiny that needs to be followed - and I want nothing more than for you to be a part of that destiny now”. I looked and saw tears coming from his own eyes.

“I don’t know if I can do that”, I said, my voice quivering hard. “How did I even end up here? I’m not rich, or famous. I just remember, I was at my apartment and some people in black came and took me...”

Michael got quiet as he reached out and wiped my tears away. He leaned in and began peppering light kisses on both of my cheeks, leading to my chin and my jawline before eventually settling on my lips, but only briefly. 

“I’m not quite sure why you were chosen for here”, he said. “I have been searching through your file to see why that is. But, ultimately, what does it matter how or why? You were here, and we’ve met. I’ve fallen in love with you. You belong with me”. He returned to kissing me softly.

“Michael, don’t try and distract me...” I said to him, but it wasn’t working too well for me, feeling the soft wetness of his lips dancing across my neck and down my throat. I couldn’t help but let out a soft moan as he worked his mouth all over my face and slowly headed further south towards my collarbones.

On an impulse, I reached out and began kissing him back. 

He pulled away from me slightly and pushed strands of my hair behind my ears.

“Barrie, please”, he said quietly. “Let me worship you. Let me kiss you everywhere”.

“You can’t just try and get physical with me to make me not angry at you...” I started to say, although Michael already had his palms running down my shoulders and he began switching back and forth between brushing his lips along my upper arms. 

He pulled my arms away and held them both outward, and I suddenly remembered that I was still in a bath towel and had been sitting on the toilet in it for the last several minutes.

Michael held my hand up as he kissed the back of my palm, working to the underside of my wrist and down my forearm. His free hand reached forward and palmed over my covered breasts. With his other hand, he kissed my knuckles and fingers before slowly slipping my index finger into his mouth, sucking at it and causing me to feel tingles.

“Michael....” I moaned to him, feeling incredibly aroused at the sensations he was giving me. 

“Shhh”, he whispered, taking my finger out of his mouth, letting go of my breast and suddenly picking me up so I was off the toilet. “Let’s go back to bed and do this properly”. 

I didn’t even have a chance to protest; he took my hand and in a flash, we were outside of the bathroom and he was standing over me. I was lying on my back on his bed.

Making a motion with his hand, he was no longer clothed and stood naked in front of me. He stared down at me as he crawled over and lowered his head. 

“You have every right to be angry”, he whispered. “I can’t stop you from feeling this way. But I know in my heart that you’re meant to be with me. I love you so much. I physically ache looking at you, Barrie. I wish you knew how beautiful you are. I want to wake up next to you and show you that every day of my life”.

I felt my eyes welling up again as Michael glanced over my body. “Considering how you’re feeling right now”, he said, “I feel it’s most appropriate to ask: may I remove your towel?” 

I nodded, giving him consent as he reached his hand down to undo the knot I had tied in it, and I guided my hand over his and helped him do it as it fell off my torso and back onto the bed, leaving me fully exposed in front of him.

“Fuck, you are truly a goddess”, Michael said to me, his eyes wandering over my body. “Every time I gaze upon your naked self, I feel like I’m unworthy of viewing such an ethereal being.” He pulled the towel out from underneath me and shoved it onto the floor. 

“Oh, stop exaggerating”, I said to him, thinking to myself that that was exactly how I felt whenever I looked at him, but kept quiet.

“No, I am completely serious”, he replied. “I want to worship at your alter.” 

He leaned his head down and kissed my sternum, down the valley between my breasts as he squeezed them both, pausing when he got directly below them. He reached his face around and his lips caressed the side of my right breast, followed by switching to the other. He added his hands now and ran his palms over my stomach and sides.

“Michael, I really need time to think”, I started to protest. 

He paused and looked up at me.

“Please, Barrie”, he said with a stammer. “Let me make love to you right now, and then you will have all the time in the world to think. I promise you that. But I won’t proceed any further now unless you say yes. And remember, I’ll know if you’re lying”, he smirked. 

He knew me so well. He knew I wanted time to think about this, but he also knew how badly I wanted him in that moment. There was almost no point in denying it; he knew every move I made. Still, it was too much. It hurt way too much. I wanted him, but knew I couldn’t do it. Even him kissing and touching me right in those moments was far too painful, thinking about all the death and destruction he had caused. 

“I want to”, I started to say. The tears were pouring out now. “I really -  I really do want to...”

Michael sighed and rolled off me. He lay on his back, and turned and looked at me. “But you can’t”, he said. “I understand”.

I shook my head at him. “I’m sorry”, I said. 

He reached over to caress my face as he scooted over and attempted to wrap his arms around me. I turned on my side and shooed his arms away. 

I lay there not looking at him and heard him sniffling as his hand brushed over my shoulder. 

“I’m begging you, Barrie”, I heard him say in my ear. “I don’t want to lose you. I can’t. I don’t care anymore that you weren’t part of my plan originally, because you are now. You  _are_ part of my plan. I know it now. We were meant to be together, you and I”.

I felt myself sobbing uncontrollably, and gave in - I turned over and buried my head in Michael’s chest as I finally let him put his arms around me. 

“Thank you for allowing me this”, he said quietly into my ear. “I could never forgive myself to see you crying so hard and not do something to comfort you”.

“I’m just -“ I stammered in between sobs. “I’m so confused. And hurt. Angry. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“I’ve done terrible things”, Michael said. “You bring out some goodness in me. You truly do, but my destiny has been written. I can’t change prophecy. I’m supposed to do this, and I only want for you to join me. I can’t imagine doing this by myself, without you and Ms. Mead.”

He nuzzled his face into me and we cuddled for a while, me not saying anything to him. Forgetting that I had to head out for my shift, I eventually jumped out of bed and got dressed as quickly as possible.

“Care to join me on your lunch break this afternoon?” Michael asked as I tied my hair back into the bun and he stood up to get dressed himself. “We can talk more then”. 

“Michael”, I said quietly. “I - I really need to be alone today. Maybe spend some time in my own room. I need to think about everything you’re saying. I don’t know if I can do this.”

Michael got quiet and I saw his face fall, and he let out a long sigh. He had sighed so much that morning, I was surprised he had any breath left in him.

“You know I love you more than anything”, he said. “But - I respect your autonomy. You are your own person. Take as much time as you need. I’ll let you decide”.

In his pants and with no shirt, he approached me and reached his arms out, and despite my anger, I wrapped myself into him in a long embrace, crying into his chest. 

“Thank you”, I said to him, feeling his hands stroking my back and felt him kissing the top of my head. “I do love you, you know. I’m just confused”.

“I know you do”, he said. “I sense it. But I meant what I said. I’ll be here until you decide how you want to proceed”. 

He held my face in his hands, kissed my forehead and leaned down to give me a light peck on the lips as well before allowing me to unwrap myself from him. 

I walked to the door and went to open it. 

“Before you go”, Michael said. 

“I haven’t decided if I’m coming back here tonight”, I said firmly, hearing him sniffle behind me. 

“I knew you weren’t sure”, he said, and I could hear another hint of a quiver in his voice. “And - I respect that as well. My bed will certainly be lonely without you, but I respect it. That isn’t what I was going to say though.”

“What is it?” I asked, allowing myself to turn and look at him. 

“Since you’re unsure of when the next time we’re going to speak is going to be”, he said quietly. “Please, listen to me. This is very important. Whatever you do - don’t eat the apples”.

I looked at him, feeling even more confused now.

“What are you talking about?” I asked him, seeing that he had turned away and went to finish getting dressed.

“I’m afraid I can’t say just yet”, he said, slipping his shirt on and beginning to button it. “Just trust me. Whatever you do - promise me you won’t eat any apples. Please promise me that before you leave. Can you do that?”

I sighed. “Yes, I promise Michael. I won’t”.

“Good”, he said, and I saw his eyes get shiny as I turned and left his room, crying my eyes out as I went to head downstairs. 

 

* * *

 

Downstairs, I saw Mallory in the hall and stopped her. She seemed to be staring off into space.

“Hey, Mal”, I said, tapping her on the shoulder as she snapped out of her trance. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine”, she said, looking at the floor and not making eye contact. “Just - I’ve been thinking a lot these last few days about what happened in Langdon’s office with the fire. It’s really been fucking with me, you know? Like, there’s some kind of emptiness inside me, and I feel like something is missing, but I don’t know -“

She didn’t get to finish her sentence, getting interrupted by Naomi, one of our cooks, running past us. 

“Mallory! Barrie!” She said to us as she ran past and towards the library. “Come on! Venable called an emergency meeting!” 

Mallory and I looked at each other and followed Naomi into the library. We took our positions and everyone around us looked just as confused as we were, waiting intensely as Ms. Venable, Ms. Mead and The Fist entered the room.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the plot thickens, as they say, or continues. Those who know how the show goes know we’re working towards the meat of the story now, with the Halloween party officially being announced at the Outpost. 
> 
> I’ve had the smut part of this chapter written for a while now, but kept re-writing it, because what relationship doesn’t need some good old angry, sort of rough make up sex after a fight? It’s interesting to see the power dynamics between them now, how the intensity of the fight about Michael’s past and what Barrie knows about him now has manifested. This is probably as close as I will end up going to mild kink when writing sex scenes for them, and even though it’s definitely mild by comparison, I had to include a small blurb of aftercare and Michael even admitting that he got carried away. I feel like it’s not the type of relationship they have, and would be too out of left field to toss it out there with no warning. That said, I feel like what I ended up writing was intense enough considering how angry and hurt Barrie is, and how upset Michael is. 
> 
> Hopefully it turned out well. Definitely had fun writing this chapter. 
> 
> Things are about to get more angsty coming up, so sit tight.

We gathered in the library and listened as Ms. Venable stood in front of us and addressed the room. 

“These past several months have been difficult for all of us. And perhaps in my efforts, to keep us safe, punitive measures have been taken too far,” She said. “I believe now what we need is a moment of celebration. Camaraderie. Which is why, this weekend, as a gesture of goodwill, we will have a Halloween soirée, in the style of a Victorian masquerade ball.”

Everyone in the room began to whisper excitedly. Mr. Gallant, sitting on a couch in the middle of the room next to Coco, squealed in delight. 

“It’s Halloween this weekend?!” He said, before getting a solemn look on his face. 

“... If only my Nana were here to enjoy it with me”, he added, putting his sunglasses on. I glanced over at Dinah sitting across from him, and she definitely looked like she was giving him some kind of side-eye.

“We’ve all lost track of time a bit,” Ms. Venable continued. “And this festive occasion is the perfect opportunity to remedy this. I encourage you all to use your imaginations to create what I’m sure will be exquisite costumes. Attendance... is mandatory.” 

She dismissed everyone before she turned and left with Ms. Mead and The Fist.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the day dragged on and seemed so tedious. Sometime in the afternoon after lunch, I went back to my cleaning duties and heard my name being called. Turning around, I saw Mallory behind me.

“Um, so this was kinda weird”, she said to me. “Langdon - Michael, I guess - just stopped me in the hall when I passed by his office and wanted to see how you were doing? I didn’t know what to say to him so I just told him you were okay. He just seemed distracted and then shut the doors in my face”.

“Oh”, I said, looking down at my feet and collecting the sponges and mops to get ready to bring them down to the storage closet. Mallory picked some up as well and walked with me down the corridor.

“Is everything okay between you two?” she asked quietly.

“Not really”, I said, trying not to cry again. “We kind of had a big argument this morning and I’m not speaking to him at the moment”. 

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Barrie”, Mallory said as we reached the closet. She took a key from her apron pocket and opened the door, before helping me to put everything away. “Do you want to talk about it? Anything I can do?”

“It’s a really long story. I would rather not talk about it”, I said as we locked the closet door and returned to the foyer.

“Listen, I don’t know what kind of fight it was, but clearly it had to have been big enough for you to not be speaking to him so quickly”, she said. “I won’t force it. Just know that I’m here”.

I smiled and went to hug her, but stopped, seeing Coco’s profile coming up behind us. 

“Hey, sorry to interrupt whatever moment you two are having”, she snapped at us. “Uh, no, wait, I’m not.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Mallory, I need you! Mr. Gallant is going to help do a new style for my hair and I need you to go through my closet to find me a costume for the party. Now!”

Mallory groaned. 

“Come find me later if you need to talk about anything, okay?” She said to me before Coco grabbed her by the arm and literally dragged her away.

The rest of the day continued, slow and agonizing. Remembering what Mallory had said, I walked by Michael’s office on purpose a couple of times, only to find the door closed. I contemplated knocking but never did. 

After dinner, I managed to help clean up for a little bit before I excused myself for the night, telling Ms. Mead I had a headache. I went back to my room, not having been there in a couple of days. I undid the hair ties, went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face before throwing myself on my bed, not even bothering to get undressed. I curled up underneath the covers and buried my head into my pillow, crying for a while before managing to exhaust myself from feeling so emotionally drained, and fell asleep.

 

I wasn’t sure how long I had been asleep for when I felt the feeling of cold metal rings brushing against the back of my neck. I turned over in a half asleep daze and saw Michael laying beside me on the bed, his fingers stroking my hair.

“I didn’t mean to wake you”, he said quietly. “Please, don’t stop on my account. Get some rest”.

“Michael, what are you doing here?” I groaned to him. “I told you I want to be alone. Also, did you transmutate in here? Because I’m pretty sure I locked the door...”

“Actually, you didn’t lock it, and believe it or not, I walked here from my room”, he said into my ear. “I retired for the evening and when I sat down to do some more work, I could sense your sadness even from the other side of this compound. I refuse to let it continue. In addition, I’ve hardly been able to get any work done today because I can’t stop thinking about you. I won’t allow any moment to pass where you aren’t loved and happy. I swore to myself that I would love and cherish you, even if you’re angry at me”.

I felt strands of his long hair tickling my face as he softly kissed my cheek and crawled under the covers with me, wrapped his arms around my waist and settled into the big spoon position that he usually did with me.

“Michael....” I whined to him, beginning to cry again. 

“Let me hold you”, he said into my ear. “Please, Barrie.”

I sobbed harder now, and Michael flipped me over so I was facing him. His eyes were wet and red, obvious that he had been crying too.

“You promised you would let me be alone”, I said to him as he reached his hand up and began to wipe my tears.

“This isn’t a visit to convince you of anything”, he said. “I just sensed you. I feel everything you’re feeling through this entire Outpost and I won’t allow you to be sad. Just let me comfort you for now. Then I will leave you alone.”

I couldn’t help but reach out and nuzzle my head into his chest as he wrapped his arms around me tightly and stroked my hair. We lay on my bed silently curled up into each other for some time. I dozed off a bit but kept waking up, and listened carefully to Michael’s heartbeat whenever I opened my eyes.

During one of the moments when I was awake, he leaned his face forward and planted a kiss to my forehead. When he did, I lifted my head up to meet his gaze and not even thinking, leaned in myself and kissed his lips gently. 

He flashed a huge smile at me and gave me a peck back, running his palm along my chin. 

“I take it you’re feeling better”, he said with a smirk. 

“Just a little”, I said. “Have you been sleeping? What time is it?” 

“No. I’ve been watching you sleep, however”, he replied. “I’m unsure of the time. Last I checked, it was well after midnight”. 

Michael leaned in and brushed his nose against mine. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel completely better?” He asked, lacing his fingers through mine and lifting my hand up, kissing the back of my palm.

I suddenly had a thought and decided I wanted to try something. 

Clearly knowing what I was thinking, Michael raised his eyebrow. 

“Your mind”, he said with a grin, “I cannot even begin to fathom what your thoughts are doing to me right now.” 

“Will you let me try?” I said. “I don’t know if I’m any good at it but.... for once, I want to be in charge. Also, I really do need to feel... _something_ other  than this sadness I’ve felt all day”. 

“I can’t argue with that. I need to feel something else for myself as well. I’m yours”, he said. “Do what you wish. I sense you have some doubts though, so this is entirely up to you.”

“Well, I’m no relationship expert, but I’m not sure if us having sex right now is going to solve our problems in the long run”, I said with a laugh. 

Michael leaned forward and kissed me gently. “I’m open to discuss anything”, he said. “Answer any questions you may have. I do agree that right now we’re both extremely saddened by what has transpired between us. Besides, maybe if you allow yourself to be in control a bit, you can take some of your frustration out in a way. But as I said, it’s entirely up to you. I won’t force you. I’m more than happy to just lay here with you and sleep”. 

I then leaned forward and began kissing him as I undid the knot in his scarf, removing it from his neck. I sat myself up, threw my legs over his body and sat on his stomach, pushing him down so his back was against the mattress before I slowly began to unbutton his shirt. With it open, I ran my palms over the smooth skin of his torso and lowered my head, kissingvarious parts of his chest before helping him slip out of his shirt completely.I reached around my back and unzipped myself out of my uniform, tossing it off the bed, and slowly began rolling my hips into Michael’s clothed crotch while still in my panties. 

“I take it this is your way of saying you want to proceed with this”, he said with a smirk. “Are you putting on a show for me?” 

“I guess”, I said quietly in the most seductive voice I could think of. “And yes, I do want to do this. I’m not sure what I’m even doing, but I want to be the one who dominates for once. That’s the punishment I’m giving you for you lying to me. And I guess being so angry was kind of a turn on”. 

Michael’s eyes widened and his eyelids dropped, gazing over my body. He kicked his shoes off and used his foot to push them off the bed. 

“Do you want a visual?” I asked him. 

“Yes”, he said, his voice lowering. 

I pressed my breasts together so cleavage formed in my bra and bent down a bit, shoving them in front of his face and teasing him a little. He pursed his lips together and reached his face towards my chest, managing to softly kiss the tops of both of my breasts before I quickly pulled back away from him. 

“How’s this?” I asked him. 

Michael licked his lips. 

“That bra looks very pretty on you, but I think it would look better on the floor”, he responded. 

The bra I was wearing was navy blue cotton with red stripes on the bottom, and Michael had never made mention before of liking any of my underwear, although I wasn’t sure if I had worn this one in front of him yet. Regardless, I reached around and undid the clasp, letting it fall off my body slowly. On an impulse, I took it and dragged it across Michael’s chest before throwing it off the bed. 

“Your punishment, for now”, I said to him, beginning to roll my hips into him again and returning to massage my breasts. “Is that you can lay there and just look. Not touch”.

Michael bit his lower lip. 

“For how long?” He asked.

“As long as I feel like it”, I said, slowly starting to thrust into him, riding Michael dryly through his pants as I squeezed and pinched my breasts and nipples above him.

His eyes scanned me up and down as he watched me. I could feel his bulge forming and it hit me in my own crotch, causing me to let out a moan unexpectedly. 

“How could you ever say that you’re insecure about how you look?” He said to me, his eyes getting soft in the way they sometimes did when he was turned on. “You’re so beautiful - I’m looking at you right now and you’re the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. I was right yesterday morning. You’re a  goddess. You’re  _my_ goddess. I love you, and-“

“Stop talking”, I interrupted him, leaning down. “More kissing”. 

I cupped both his cheeks with my hands and kissed him deeply and passionately, still grinding and thrusting into him. He reached his hands up to grab my breasts and I pulled them away, pinning him down on the bed like he did to me sometimes. I was worried that he would give in and empower me, considering my small body and natural assumption that he was so much stronger than me, but he didn’t budge. 

I released his hands, sat up and kneeled over him, noticing his eyes dropping down to his crotch, his bulge rising now. Deciding to tease him a little more, I finally unzipped his pants and pulled them down slightly, reaching down into to the elastic waistband of his boxer briefs to brush my fingers over his shaft, although in the blink of an eye, his underwear and pants were both gone and he was naked underneath me. I looked over and saw them both on the floor, and rolled my eyes at him. 

“You ignored my instructions”, I said to him. “I didn’t say you could use your magic to undress”. 

“I couldn’t wait”, he said, smirking. I glanced down at his cock, already hard and erect, and continued to grind onto it with my panties still on. 

“You don’t know how badly I want to touch you”, he said suddenly. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.”

“Deal with it!”, I snapped at him, covering my breasts with my hands. 

Deciding to change positions, I turned myself over and grinded into him from behind now, before reaching my hands slowly down my lower back to slip my panties down and expose my ass to him. 

“Fuckkkkkkkk”, he moaned. “That’s not fair. You can’t just wave your beautiful ass in front of me and expect me not to touch. I already hate that I couldn’t touch your breasts. You’re killing me. I _need_ to  touch you”. 

I huffed as I pulled my panties off completely and threw them aside, ignoring him. 

“Barrie,  please ”, Michael whined. “I’m so sorry for hurting you. I love you so much.” His voice quivered and it sounded like he was crying. I couldn’t say no to him any longer. 

“Fine”, I said. “Go ahead. Touch”. 

Michael wasted no time sitting up with a jolt, reaching out to grab my ass and gripping it in his hands. I felt his fingers briefly brush a little lower and I let out a soft hum. 

“Did you like that?” He asked quietly. 

“Y-Yes”, I stammered. “Michael - please, touch me. Let me feel your fingers inside me”. I was aware that my intentions changed almost as quickly as they were stated, but I hadn’t realized how much I missed his touch, and the feelings that overcame whenever he touched me. It was overwhelming. I needed it. I needed  _him_.

He sat up further, reached one hand around my stomach and slipped two fingers inside me, beginning to tease my clit as he pressed his chest to my back. His other hand that was still on my ass gripped the cheek tighter and he dug his fingers into it. 

“Oh my, so wet already. As usual”, he purred into my ear. I suddenly felt my ass cheek stinging as Michael smacked it hard with his palm, curling his fingers on his opposite hand inside me now and pressing up against my clit. 

“You fucking dirty cheat!”, I snapped at him. “I’m supposed to be in charge -“ 

“Oh, you will be. You wanted to take your anger out on me, didn’t you, my love?” He hissed into my ear. “Now the tables have turned and you’re letting me dominate. I’m impressed, you did a wonderful job. Yet I’m the one in trouble and you’re letting me spank  _you_.  I appreciate the effort, but I think you would do better to do what you sat out to do. You’ll be in control.” He curled his fingers into me more and smacked my ass again, and I felt his mouth press down on my neck as he began suckling at it. He struck me a third time, the hardest he ever had thus far, even harder than when I had sat on his face just a couple of days earlier. I enjoyed it, but was secretly glad he was only using his hands and not some other object.

“No”, I panted. “I - I don’t care anymore. I want you to fuck me. I want to cum!”

“And what if I don’t let you?” He purred, releasing my ass and reaching that hand up to squeeze my breasts. With his other hand still inside me, he released that as well and I heard him sucking his fingers. He continued to kiss my neck and shoulders, and returned to squeezing my breasts with both hands.

“It’s not even been twenty-four hours”, he said in a half whisper into my ear. “But fuck, I missed touching you like this. I missed everything about you. Your lips. Your soft skin. The smell of your hair.” He ran his fingers over my breasts, caressing my nipples roughly. “I most certainly missed your breasts”, he purred. “I think these gorgeous nipples of yours are just dying to be sucked, aren’t they? To be kissed? I can’t forget about them, I am sure they missed my lips on them. I know you love that, don’t you? As you said the first day we met, you thought they would fit perfectly in my mouth, and indeed they do”. 

He removed one hand from the breast it was massaging and lowered it between my thighs. His long fingers entered me again, curling them some more and causing me to flinch and moan. 

“Mmmm, yes, I do...” I managed to pant out. “I love all of it!”

“I missed feeling this warmth around my fingers”, he cooed. “And did I ever miss being able to taste it, to lick it. But we will save that for another time. I missed being inside you, so much.” 

I felt one of his fingers slip in further and he continued to rub small circles around my clit with the other, causing me to moan louder. 

“That is the most glorious sound I’ve ever heard”, he said. “I swear, your moans and the pretty noises you make are just as captivating to me as any physical contact we have. How am I making you feel? Does it feel good?”

“Yes, Michael, you always make me feel so good!” I panted at him. 

“And the same for you to me, my Barrie”, he replied quietly. “Don’t you want this all the time? Don’t you want to stay beside me and let me make you feel this good every single day?I certainly want to give you this whenever you want me to. You are the only star in my sky. I never really knew what love was until I met you.”

I could feel my eyes welling up. 

“Michael”... I panted again as I felt his fingers press against my clit, pumping them faster. “Oh, oh my God...”

He suddenly yanked me into his body. 

“Hah, you should know better than that!” He said loudly. “There’s no God here, only me, and my Father. I think you should get another spanking for being so blasphemous. Would you like that?”

“Y- yes”, I panted, and felt Michael’s palm hitting my ass once again. 

“Beg”, he said. “Do it”.

“Michael, please”, I panted. “Fu- fuck me!”

“Only if you be in control”, he snapped. “That’s a command. You can do it, Barrie. I want you to ride me as hard as you can, from both positions. Don’t stop until you cum!” 

He let go of me and slipped back. I flipped myself over and shoved him back down on the bed, grinding against his hardness once again before taking it into my palm and slowly sat down, slipping it inside me as I began to ride him. Michael grabbed on to my hips and rotated them as I bounced, bucking his own hips before sitting up to run his tongue and lips over my nipples. I grabbed a fistful of his long hair and yanked it back hard, and heard him growl in the inhuman way he sometimes did. 

“I adore when you get rough with me like that”, he moaned into my chest, continuing to kiss my breasts with aggression. His took one into his mouth followed by the other, his tongue swirling slowly and carefully around each nipple as they hardened under his lips, almost as if he was looking to savor the way they tasted. They felt more sensitive than usual and I let out a few moans just from feeling his mouth on the skin, in addition to the feeling of him deep inside me. 

His tone shifted suddenly, the intensity switching to soft and gentle as he reached his head up and softly kissed my jaw and cheeks as he allowed me to thrust into him now. I felt a wet droplet touch my skin as he kissed my face, and when he pulled away, I saw his eyes were wet and welling up, smearing his eyeshadow. 

“Look at me”, he said, bringing me face to face with him. I stared into his eyes and his breathing increased. A tear finally fell from his eye and his lips parted into a large smile as he pressed his forehead against mine.

Despite that he was speaking a lot earlier, he had gone mostly quiet once he entered me, but it really spoke volumes to me that he was able to hold such a tender moment between us, even in the midst of intense, somewhat angry sex.

It wasn’t much longer before I felt his hands slip under my arms and he lifted me up off him, spinning me around and slamming me back down onto his cock, allowing me to ride him from behind now. I felt his lips brushing against the skin of my back as he kissed between my shoulder blades and down my spine, bouncing me harder. He sat up further, wrapped his arms around my waist and suddenly bent me over in front of him on the bed. I shoved myself back into him as hard as I could, hearing nothing but the sound of skin slapping, plus a string of obscenities and my name escape his lips.

He reached down underneath and slid his fingers back inside me to give me extra clitoral stimulation, and shortly after I orgasmed, Michael shouted my name again, then pulled out of me with a hiss and I felt the sticky sensation of his release on my back as I fell over onto the bed face first. The feeling didn’t remain for that long and I assumed that he had used his magic to clean me up. 

I looked over once again to see him lying on his back, sweating and panting hard, and I had to catch my breath as I did the same.

There was a few minutes of silence between us, and truthfully, I didn’t know what to say to him. I merely laid there staring at him, watching him panting as he stared at the ceiling. After what seemed like an eternity, his eyes finally shifted over and met mine. 

He broke the tension and spoke first.

“Well, I certainly didn’t expect _that_ to  happen when I came in here to check on you”. He smirked at me and reached his hand out. “At least allow me the privilege of holding you like I started out earlier?” 

I sighed and sat up, crawling over and cuddled into Michael’s arm that he slipped over me. Once again, we were both silent for some time as I rested my head on his shoulder and he held me close. I eventually felt his hands reach down my back and he began to massage my ass cheeks, kneading his fingers into the skin. 

“I apologize if I was too rough on your lovely behind”, he said quietly, and I couldn’t help but giggle at his choice of words. “I may have gotten carried away. Let me take the pain away for you”. 

“No, I enjoyed it”, I said, flinching under his touch but feeling the sting begin to fade away, realizing he was using his magic to heal me. “I do appreciate it regardless though. It did start to hurt a little at the end”. 

“I know it did. I heard you thinking that you were glad that I was only using my hands. As I would hope you know, I would never strike you with an object, unless of course we discussed it beforehand and you gave me your permission to do so. I also would be more than willing to discuss having a safe word next time, if it comes to that”, Michael said quietly. “That is... if this wasn’t just a fluke and there  _is_ a next time”. 

“What do you mean?” I asked, legitimately not knowing what he could have meant. 

Michael’s fingers released my ass as he finished working his literal magic onto both cheeks. “I can sense that you’re still angry at me”, he said. “I’ve already prepared myself all day for the very real possibility that there is no way I can redeem myself to you.” 

“Soooooo”, I said, dragging the word out. “I definitely can’t say I’m not still angry, but I think that was also our makeup sex?” 

Michael chuckled and kissed the top of my head. “I suppose so”, he said quietly. 

“Look”, I said. “I’m guessing that you were thinking that I would put an end to our relationship because of this -“

“Yes, I naturally assumed it was inevitable that it was over between us”, he said, cutting me off. 

“Don’t think I hadn’t considered it”, I said. “But... I can’t deny my feelings for you. What you did was unforgivable, but I was still miserable without you today. I am willing to keep this going, even if I don’t and probably never will fully understand what you are, and why you chose to end the fucking world just to kill a few witches for revenge”. 

I took a breath, and continued. 

“I also... I don’t have anyone else. Mallory is a good friend, but aside from her... I’m sure the other people in this Outpost don’t give two shits about me. You’re my comfort, my happiness. I don’t have anyone else left that loves me. Knowing you do...” I paused, not even knowing how to finish the sentence.

“I’m so sorry again, Barrie”, Michael said, and I could see his eyes tearing up again as well. “I don’t expect you to forgive me any time soon, but I am thrilled that whatever tension we had today is over. Please just know that I love you and I will do anything to make and keep you happy. I care for you so very deeply”. 

I looked up and kissed him, putting my hand around his neck as he held me tightly. 

“I must say”, he said to me, nuzzling close. “If makeup sex is that intense, maybe we should fight more often”. I was the one to laugh now as I snuggled into him closer.

Running my hands along his torso, I decided to finally tell him something I had been keeping to myself. 

“You know, I was drawn to you from the moment I saw you in the library that first day”, I said. 

“I know,” he replied. “I believe you may have thought it to yourself during our interview. I was drawn to you as well”. 

“I mean, like, when you first made eye contact with me”, I said. “I don’t know. Something came over me. I felt frozen. Like I couldn’t move. Everything stopped. I started thinking that maybe... maybe that was something telling me that I would be in love with you? I had a similar feeling when I first met my friend Trevor back then, the boy I told you about. It had been so long since I felt that feeling, I must have not recognized it with you”.

Michael leaned down and kissed me gently, squeezing me into him. 

“I’ve missed you so fucking much”, he whispered. 

“It’s only been a day”, I said, kissing him back. 

Michael brushed his nose against mine. “A day too long without you”, he said softly. “It felt like an eternity. No matter what happens from here on out, we are in this together. I absolutely meant it when I said I never really knew what love was until I met you. I was drawn to you in a similar sense when I first saw you, and couldn’t explain it either at the time. But, now that I know, I am yours and loyal to you until the bitter end. I love you, Barrie”.

“I love you too, Michael”, I said as I kissed him again. “I don’t think you understand how much”.

He gazed at me and stroked my cheek. 

“I think I do”, he said softly. 

I laid my head on his chest and heard him sigh above me. 

“I’m not sure how I feel about being a queen though...” I started to say, but Michael reached over and put his finger to my lips. 

“I’m willing to put that aside for now if you are”, he said. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, if that’s okay with you. I would certainly like to discuss it, but it doesn’t have to be now. We can wait a few days or more. Does that sound good?”

“Deal”, I said, and I hugged his body close to mine. 

“I think this is the first time we’ve ever made love in your bed”, he said with a small laugh. “That one day when we were interrupted excluded, of course”. 

“That’s a funny thing to be thinking about”, I said, laughing myself. “Considering you _did_ ask  me to move into your room”. 

Michael shrugged and winked at me before kissing my lips gently. 

“So....” I said as he pulled away, suddenly remembering from that morning. “What about these apples?” 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! This one is filler while I start work on the rest to actually work in the plot more. So, enjoy some more smut, though the end is pretty fluffy. Lots of plot lines from the show are worked in, however.
> 
>  
> 
> This started off as a one shot I wrote during a writer’s block period that I got carried away with, but I decided on including it because I really like how it turned out. So, I made it the following morning after their make up, from Michael’s point of view, seeing things from his eyes after their fight. 
> 
> By now, it’s become obvious to them as to why they have a connection with each other, based on emotional damages and past issues, and why they take comfort in each other. I think it was inevitable that if Michael Langdon was ever going to have a romantic relationship with someone, he would want this as well as the physical side. I’ve already started mapping out in my head how the rest of this is going to play out, so enjoy this one, because as I said, gore and angst and other stuff is coming soon.

**Michael’s POV**  

 

Michael sat back and leaned against the pillows, watching as she threw her legs over his torso and ran her hands along his chest as she had done earlier when she teased him as punishment. Having enjoyed very much the way she straddled him and took control in those early morning hours, he found himself wanting to do that again, to which she happily complied with when he brought it up as they woke up that morning. Perhaps still feeling the sadness from the previous day, he had awoken, this time in Barrie’s bed, and it still being early enough that she didn’t need to get ready for her shift for the day just yet... he pitched the idea to her, so long as she was okay with it. To his delight, she was just as aroused as he was, and was more than happy to oblige. 

He admired, as always, the way her breasts looked, and felt, as his large hands began working their fingers over the swell of them both. No longer a punishment to him to not touch, she said, allowing him to this time. They brushed along her areolas as each nipple hardened under the tips of his fingers, and she let out a low moan. He leans his head down to plant a kiss on the top of each breast before lowering his mouth to nibble gently at the undersides of each soft, pillowy mound. 

Fully engulfed in giving his complete attention to both of them, he goes on autopilot and almost tunes out her moaning and hums. 

He opens his mouth, taking one breast into it and begins to suckle at it, wetting itas his hands trail lower down her stomach. 

“Oh, Michael”... he hears Barrie say above him. Her hands grip his hair as she continues to straddle him, her fingers interweaving themselves in his long, blonde locks as he sucks and nibbles at each of her breasts, soaking them both completely in between each pull away from his mouth to let the cool air in the room begin to dry them. His hands find and grab her hips before reaching her thighs, and he digs his nails into the thick skin, switching back and forth between gentle caresses and harsh squeezes. Meanwhile, he continues his assault on her stiffened nipples, combining his oral attack with an occasional pinch of his fingers.

As his hands migrate around her waist, his long fingers glide down the small of her back and he can’t help but grip onto each of her ass cheeks through her cute light blue panties (the color of which strangely almost match his eyes) which he saw her put back on earlier. Having felt a need to do the same, out of a feeling of wanting to respect being in her bed for once, he had slipped his own underwear on as well before they both fell asleep. 

Barrie looks down at him suddenly and kisses him harshly. She then pulls away leaving him nearly breathless, biting his lower lip gently before looking into his eyes.

“Take mine off”, she whispers to him. 

“Gladly”. Michael responds to her, thinking he doesn’t even need to be asked and would have done so eventually. 

He finds his fingers sliding the cotton garment down her legs until they pool at her ankles. She kicks them off, and he lays back again as she starts grinding into him, completely naked now. His boxer briefs are still on, despite that the bulge in them has become so big, it’s nearly popping out. 

“Fuck”, he says quietly. He once again thinks to himself that she looks so sexy as she rolls her hips against his clothed crotch with her breasts bouncing in a slow, rhythmic motion. He looks down and can’t help but notice that the fabric of his boxer briefs now has a damp circle on the bulge. He realizes how wet she already is, and is leaving her slick on his underwear as she grinds him.

“Fuck”, he repeats. “We’ve barely done anything and you’re so wet... and it’s all for me... I will never get over how it makes me feel that I do this to you...” His voice has lowered several octaves now. She never fails to make him so aroused like this. He spent most of the previous day merely missing just holding her; it wasn’t until their make up sex hours before that he remembered just how much he missed what she does to him on a more intimate level. He’s still getting used to the very idea of sex being an intimate, personal experience and as a way to connect with someone he loves. He had also spent a good chunk of the previous day vowing that he would never allow himself to fall in love again if she decided she would end things, and was willing to retain a life of full celibacy if that happened. Now that he knew how much more satisfying and intense sex could be with someone he loved, he couldn’t imagine ever doing such an act with anyone else... 

 

His sentence, and thoughts, trail off as Barrie smiles at him and doesn’t say a word, merely bends her head down and envelopes his lips again, this time in a more tender, loving kiss then before. He welcomes it just the same as his tongue grazes over hers, allowing it to part her own lips and slips it slowly inside. He brushes it along her teeth and her own tongue before removing it completely, pulling away for a second to suck gently on her lower lip. It’s not long before he brings his lips back to hers, his hands making their way down her back towards her ass and back up again. 

He squirms, feeling her hardened nipples brush against his chest as he pulls their bodies close to each other, eager to move his lips from her mouth to her neck and throat. Michael peppers a line of light, gentle kisses along the soft skin of her neck and works down to her pulse point, and her collarbones, eventually moving back up to her jaw. 

Barrie’s wet center is still pushing against his clothed crotch, and he’s still feeling the sensation of her slick dampening the cotton of his black boxer briefs. He’s hard as a rock now, but doesn’t want to remove his underwear just yet - no, he wants to continue to drag this out as long as possible, keep his own desires at bay, lest he somehow manages to cum prematurely. He never has, but is forcing himself regardless to hang on for as long as possible. Right now, what he wants is to kiss every inch of her bare skin that he can manage to latch his lips onto, for no reason other than that’s what his heart is telling him to do at the moment. His heart, the organ that is beating so hard it might jump out of his chest. His heart that physically aches as it has been doing lately whenever he holds Barrie in his arms like this, marking her skin with his mouth. 

Even since their first time on the day of his arrival in the Outpost, he often found himself acting on his heart’s desires as much as his cock’s, perhaps even more so, whenever she was naked in his arms. Yes, love ruled his actions just as much as lust. Even in these moments of raw, physical intimacy, every desire, every touch, every kiss was driven by his intense love for her. He knows she feels the same, as he senses her own desires and hears every one of her thoughts. The previous day was agony for him, and now that he has her back, he wants to show her how much love he truly has for her, in addition to his burning sexual needs. He knows she knows, but wants to shower her with affection anyway. 

She drops her head back and her mouth opens, letting out another moan, and Michael takes the opportunity to slip one of his fingers inside her lips. She closes her mouth and sucks gently on the long finger, bobbing up and down to the knuckle before releasing it. 

Michael suddenly takes that finger that was in her mouth and drags it through the valley between her breasts, once again as before, down her stomach and to her legs, but this time allowing the pads of his fingers to caress her inner thighs and go lower to begin to explore the folds of her vulva. He’s done this so many times now, but it still always feels new and exciting to him. 

Barrie moans again, placing her hands on his chest for support as she continues to straddle him. 

“Touch me”, she whispers softly to him. 

“Of course”, he whispers back, allowing his index and middle fingers to slip slowly inside her, feeling the warm wetness engulf them. He slides the middle in and out as the index ascends to her clit. Michael, having only ever known his own anatomy, he always finds it endlessly fascinating how such a small thing, the tiny pink bud that looks like the opening of a flower, can be so sensitive, the source of such intense pleasure in his lover. He brushes it delicately in small circles, grinning in delight as he sees Barrie biting her lower lip and humming to herself as he does. 

He releases both fingers and seeing them wet with her juices, his mood changes and he decides he wants more. 

“I think...”, he whispers in her ear. 

She looks at him with an intense gaze. 

“What are you thinking?” She asks in a soft voice.

Michael grins again as his eyes shift downward. 

“I think you need to be eaten right now”, he says. “Would you like that, my love? Your pretty little pussy is so wet and feels amazing around my fingers, but I think I also need to taste it. Would you let me taste?” He already knows the answer, but nonetheless has chosen to ask and look up at her again, wanting her consent before going further. It’s only been a day, but he misses her taste more than he would like to admit to himself.

“Yes, Michael”, she says with a pant in her voice. “Please”. He knows dirty talk isn’t her forte, but he more than makes up for it when he’s in the mood to use his words to help along her arousal. He obviously already knows how she tastes, but also knows that his words (and the sound of his voice) turn her on just as much as his actions. Michael now wants to transport himself into his own little world, a world that is focused on Barrie’s literal center. He wants to pursue another oral attack of a slightly different nature, one that involves her exquisite wetness. 

He leans forward and gently pecks her lipsbefore lifting her off of him, allowing them both to switch positions. She’s against the pillows now and he is bent on his knees, facing her as he opens her legs so she’s spread eagle in front of him. 

He places his hands on her calves, lowers his head and goes to work planting more kisses, this time around her navel and working his way down towards her inner thighs. As much as he loves actually eating her, the teasing and build up to it is one of his favorite things, getting off on watching her slowly unravel as he prepares for the feast she has unveiled for him between her legs.

His eyes scan her groin area as he brushes his lips against the inside of both her thighs, admiring the way her labia has already parted on its own and how slick her folds are. Feeling it is one thing, but it’s always another to actually  _see_ the  impact he’s had on his love. He can’t help but inhale her scent as he finally begins to gently kiss her lower lips, starting to taste her on his mouth already as he prepares his tongue. He begins teasing her clit with a few gentle licks and more soft kisses as his fingertips lightly tickle the inside of her thighs. She’s ready and waiting for him, but he doesn’t want to dive in fully just yet. His sadistic nature is telling him to drag this out as well, and looking up every so often, seeing her chest puff out in a deep breath, and seeing her crotch flinch underneath him makes him just as hard as the act itself. He knows she both loves and hates when he does this, at the same time, and he revels in doing so.

His gentle kisses finally switch now, as his mouth opens and he descends on her, allowing his tongue to slip inside. He laps and sucks at her as if he is savoring the very last drop of water in a desert oasis, bringing his lips up further and making sure he  really hits where she needs him most, where he knows she feels the most pleasure. He gently sucks at her clit, flicking his tongue, and the area surrounding it, feeling utterly thrilled as her thighs close around his cheeks and he feels her body beginning to shake above him.

Michael is absolutely certain he won’t be going to Heaven when his soul leaves his body. He knows that right here, right now is as close as he will ever get to such a divine place. He knows that humans often end up in their own personal Hells. He’s seen them, when he brought back Madison Montgomery and when he brought back Misty Day as he performed Descensum, his final test of the Seven Wonders. He already knows that’s where he’s going, what’s in store for him, and where his Father will send him. So he’s decided that this, with her, is as close to Heaven as he’ll ever get.In moments like these, deeply personal and deeply intimate, knowing that he is making the woman he loves happy, allowing her to feel such intense pleasure, that he knows how happy he also truly is. 

His cock becomes even harder when Barrie reacts in a way that she knows  he loves - he feels her hands slide through his hair and also suddenly feels her yanking his blonde strands a bit, which he knows she does half for her own support, and half because she knows how he loves when she does it. They’ve only technically been together for closing in on two weeks, but his intuition and their intense closeness has helped him to learn the ins and outs of her body, what she enjoys and what she doesn’t. He’s still learning and discovering new things, though, and knows he wants to discover even more, as much as he can. Her pleasure is always far more important than his own, although he loves and certainly appreciates it, it turns him on most to see what his actions do to her. He loves to make her feel good, and it makes him feel good doing so.

He places her legs over his shoulders and holds her hips now, her hips that have already begun thrusting as she releases her first orgasm of their morning sex into his mouth. Michael does his second favorite thing and continues to overstimulate her, seeing her clit red and swollen in front of his nose but goes right along as she comes. He lifts her up and slowly drags his tongue along her crack before hitting her butt hole, making sure to gently hit those other sensitive nerve endings. The first time he ever ate her and included it, he did it on a whim and noticing she enjoyed it, he still occasionally did it. 

He hears her moan his name as his tongue pokes around inside her ass, and having another sudden change of heart, he flips her over and buries his face inside the tight hole of her backside. 

“Michael...” he hears her say again, slightly muffled from her face against the sheets, as he raises her hips and decides to slip a finger inside her wet entrance once again, brushing over her clit as he continues to flick his tongue in her ass. The sounds she makes are utterly magical to him, and he can no longer keep himself inside his underwear when he lifts her off the bed and sees a wet spot on the sheet below her, directly underneath where her crotch was. She is beyond soaked now, and he is so hard he can’t contain himself anymore. 

He drops her back on the bed and caresses his palms along her ass, taking advantage of the current view to slap it hard a few times. She squeals and he keeps going, but when he hears her say the word “Ow!”, he stops and instead plants a few soft kisses on each cheek where red marks are starting to form.

“I’m sorry, Barrie”, he says quietly, now kneading his palms into the thick flesh so the red marks disappear with his healing magic. “Got carried away again. Would you like to implement a safe word, as we discussed?” 

She turns and looks at him, smiling softly. 

“Don’t worry about it”, she says. “Maybe next time, but not right now”. 

Her eyes shift downward and they are fixated on his bulge. Michael takes the hint and finally removes his underwear, throwing them so far that they hit the floor on the other side of the room. She stares at his stiff, erect cock with droopy eyes and flips herself over.

She reaches her foot out and without warning, brushes her big toe along the head of his cock, something that she has tried to do before and he doesn’t generally feel much from, but knows for some reason that she likes it. Suddenly,something changes: he flinches when she hits the underside of the tip where it’s most sensitive, and it’s his turn to moan now, loud and guttural, his demonic side overtaking. 

He wants to ask her to beg. He wants desperately to tease and edge her a bit more, but the feeling of her toes against his throbbing cock is becoming harder to resist. So far this has mainly been about her pleasure, but he can’t deny himself anymore. 

“Barrie”, he pants. “I need to be inside you...”

“Good, because I want to you fuck me so hard that I can’t walk!” She shouts in his face. Taken aback at her boldness, he smirks as he crawls on top of her, grabs his cock and pushes himself inside her in one swift movement, thrusting his hips hard and lifting one of her legs up to get in as deep as her small body will allow him to.  

He looks down at her and watches as she tilts her head back and her mouth opens, her moans getting louder. Her eyelids close off and on, but her bright hazel hues still manage to meet his ocean blue ones when they are open. Michael adores seeing her face when he makes love to her, seeing her pretty eyes right in front of him and the twists of enjoyment in her facial movements. He slides himself in and out of her as fast as he can go, managing to reach down and kiss her, despite that he’s literally slamming into her body. He loves the feeling of her stomach smacking against his, of their crotches meeting, and her wet walls wrapping themselves around his cock, soft and warm at first and then heating up from the friction of his movements.

He rocks into her and lowers his head to kiss her breasts and drag his tongue across her nipples, and as she often does, she orgasms first, though he isn’t far behind as the feeling of her spasms around his cock is enough to make Michael realize he’s going to release soon. He holds off and thrusts a couple more times before he can’t hold it anymore, and with a fast motion, he pulls out of her just in time for his cock to begin pulsing his cum across her stomach. 

Michael rolls off of her, looks at the mess he’s made on her lovely naked body, and waves his hand so it disappears in the blink of an eye as he comes down from his own orgasm. 

He turns and looks at Barrie. Even in the sweaty afterglow, she is still so beautiful to him. She always was, since that first day. She returns his look as he reaches out and they embrace in each other’s arms, which Michael absolutely cannot allow to not happen when their lovemaking is finished. She curls into his body and his long hair brushes against her forehead as he kisses her face and buries his head into her shoulder. 

He wants to savor this as long as he can. She already has almost left him twice now, and he can’t bear the thought of it happening again. He still hasn’t told her what the full plan is with the apples, even though he knows they have arrived the previous day. He’s managed to avoid the subject twice, although he knows he won’t be able to for much longer. 

He hasn’t told her that there is no Sanctuary, at least not in the way he’s described it as such to the residents of the Outpost. It’s merely a test to gain followers for his new world, one that will be remade in his Father’s image, but he hasn’t yet decided where they will go. 

He still hasn’t told her that his plan with the apples was to manipulate Ms. Mead, whom he can still control her mind despite the fact that she is an android, into convincing Ms. Venable to extract venom from his snakes that appeared in Emily’s closet on his first day in the Outpost. He’s already controlled her into convincing Venable to kill everyone there, and during the time period the previous day when him and Barrie were arguing and not speaking, the apples had arrived anonymously in a horse drawn carriage, similar to the one he’d arrived at the Outpost in just a couple of weeks earlier. 

He can’t take credit for the idea of the Halloween party to allow the Outpost occupants to consume said apples, but he has already planted the idea in Mead’s head and knows that Venable has announced the party - she left a note under the door to his room inviting him to the gathering in a few days, to which he already has written a note back declining the invite that he dropped off the previous evening to her before deciding to pay a visit to Barrie’s room to comfort her. 

He won’t tell Barrie any of this. Or maybe he will? He hasn’t decided yet, considering her reaction to when she finally figured out he was a major part of the reason the world is the way it is at the moment. He also hasn’t told her that not only is her dear friend Mallory a witch, likely from the very same Coven he swore vengeance against, but that he senses his great adversary Cordelia is alive and will be coming for him soon. 

As he had said to her regarding making her his queen of this New World he wants to build, they will cross that bridge when they come to it. His thoughts shift as they lay together in post coital bliss, not speaking. They don’t have to - their connection is often unspoken in these moments. He’s been thinking about how she said to him that she thinks she knew she would be in love with him upon seeing him in the library that first day. Michael has felt the same, but like her, wasn’t quite sure what it was at the time. For whatever she still hasn’t told him about her past, he already knows most of it, having sensed and seen it all whenever he touches her. She’s still reeling from trauma, from her damaged psyche, from a lifetime of hurt and pain and despair. Michael has experienced much of the same pain, not quite to the extent that she has, but he nonetheless feels connected to her regardless. 

For now, before everything changes, he wants to take comfort in her once again. Aside from Ms. Mead, no other human has ever made him this happy. Michael Langdon knows what he wants, takes it, and keeps it. He loves Barrie, and plans on keeping her. Right now, he wants to keep her in his arms for as long as he can.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m working on beginning to wind the story down and start to wrap things up eventually now that we are getting closer to the Halloween party and thus, the arrival of the witches. I did a two parter here from each of their point of views. 
> 
> In Michael’s, I decided to talk a bit about what he did during the day they were fighting and how it affected him, in addition to making it so that he’s constantly horny now. I didn’t outright say it, but he’s well aware that Barrie is still somewhat uncomfortable with knowing the truth about him now and he knows she wants to talk about it, but he’s trying to distract her. I made her acknowledge this a bit too. Because that’s a thing she even admitted, that they’re using sex as an excuse to not communicate. This is far from a healthy relationship, I know. Although, there’s definitely some fluffy parts added in for good measure. 
> 
> I think it’s fairly clear that both of them are pretty confused. They love each other but aren’t sure what that means ultimately. Michael is still stalling because he knows she isn’t going to be pleased when she finds out his plan. He still wants her to join him, but does respect her agency to decide for herself, as much as it pains him. 
> 
> Going to keep this going for as long as I can!

“Where do you think you’re going?” I heard Michael say to me as I went to leave my bed. We had fallen back to sleep after another round of morning sex a couple of hours earlier, and I felt his arm grab me. 

“I have to go get ready for the breakfast shift, remember?” I said to him, one of my legs already half off the bed. Michael pulled me back down by my arm and I fell backwards, landing onto his legs. 

“Feel free to sleep in”, he said, leaning down and brushing my frizzy morning hair out of my face. “I will get dressed and then head downstairs to speak with Ms. Venable. I will tell her you’ve fallen ill or some other white lie, but I’m not letting you go today”. 

I giggled and hoisted myself up, facing him. 

“Don’t you have work to do?” I asked. 

“I’ve begun working yesterday on selecting who I am taking to the Sanctuary”, he said to me in a low voice. “But, I’m willing to put it all aside. Yesterday I felt such terrible pain; I hadn’t felt such pain since my original Ms. Mead was burned at the stake. I’m not letting you leave my sight one bit today now that you’ve come back to me”. 

Michael laid back and grabbed my arm again, this time pulling me so I was on top of him. 

“You seem to have grown to like this position”, I said to him teasingly as I ran my palms over his chest. I leaned down and kissed him and he rolled me over. 

“And we’re staying in _my_ room  now?” I asked, giggling as Michael nuzzled his face into my shoulder. “You know if you decide to do any work, your computer is in your room and all your work is in your office downstairs”.

Michael groaned and hugged me to him tighter.

“Fine then. Even if we don’t stay in bed, I still am going to ask Venable to give you the day off. You can stay with me either in my room or my office, and I’ll request your meals be sent along with mine”, he said into my ear. 

“Oh yeah, because that isn’t suspicious at all”, I said sarcastically. 

“Oh Barrie, how you worry so”, he said as he kissed the area underneath my earlobe. “I will tell her that I’ve chosen you to help me for the day with my errands and duties, and I will also request that your friend Mallory send all our vitamin cubes. You did say she knows about us, and I’m sure she will continue to keep your secret”. 

“You make it all sound so easy”, I said.

“Because it is”, he said with a grin. “I think I’ve done a fairly decent job at presenting myself as an authority figure around here. Ms. Venable still runs the compound most definitely, but I’ve been quickly able to override most of what she has laid out. Especially when it comes to you”.

I sighed. “I’m just nervous”, I said. “The other day when you told her you wanted me to bring you dinner and eat with you, she questioned it. She’s getting suspicious, I think.”

“Interesting”, Michael replied, scratching his chin. “If that’s the case, she must be keeping it hidden inside her. I haven’t heard any of her thoughts say anything about us. Usually we don’t talk much, her and I, unless I need something. Mostly she gives me dirty looks”. 

“I’ve noticed that”, I said. “I assumed it was because you’ve kind of taken over the place”.

“Partially that”, Michael said back to me. “I also think she might be bitter towards me over a bit of... well, her interview was more like an interrogation and there was a bit of power play between us. It didn’t end too well, and I’ll leave it at that, if that’s okay”. 

Michael leaned in and began kissing my neck and rubbing my shoulders. 

“But whatever Venable’s thoughts aside, I assure you I will be able to get you the day off. Don’t you worry”. 

“Well, at some point I promised Mallory I would help her find a mask for the Halloween party”, I said. “So, I may have to leave you for a bit. As long as it’s safe to leave my cage”. Michael chuckled and held me closer. 

“I realize you have your own life, and I promise you, I will let you live it”, he said quietly. “I apologize for being selfish. I’m just so thrilled to have you back and wanted to keep you to myself for a while”. 

I laid back against the pillow and curled up into Michael’s arms. 

“You have me now”, I said. “I’m all yours”. 

“Yes, you are, my Barrie”, he said and leaned in for a kiss. “Oh. There is one thing we should discuss. Since I already know you’re thinking it, I should probably tell you now that I’ve declined Ms. Venable’s invitation to this gathering”. 

“What? Why?” I asked.

Michael got quiet and stayed so for about a minute.

“Not your thing?” I asked him. “I personally would rather avoid it myself, but Venable insisted that attendance is mandatory”. 

“I’m aware of that”, he said. “I suppose I’m exempt from this since I’m merely a guest here. Neither Ms. Mead or Ms. Venable have made an issue of my declining.” 

I cuddled into Michael’s arms. “I was hoping you would at least be there to help ease my anxiety”, I said. “I can already predict that being in the same room with everyone at once is going to make me nervous. I can handle it at meetings since they don’t usually last long, but who knows how long this will go on for”. 

“Probably not too long”, Michael said with a grin. “I really must get some work done and it is probably best I don’t attend. I do partially wish I was, as I would love to show off having the most beautiful date in the room”. 

I leaned forward and kissed him lightly. 

“I’m sure you’re alone in feeling that way”, I said. “Highly doubt anyone else here would consider me the most beautiful”. 

“Nonsense”, Michael said, pulling me into him. “But no matter. More for me, anyway”. He looked over my body and eyed it, licking his lips. “I could certainly live with having more for me.” I laughed as I snuggled into his arm. 

“I truly do wish you knew how beautiful you are”, he said to me. “But if nobody else sees that and I’m the only one who tells you so, then so be it.”

“It’s hard to feel confident like that when you’ve been told otherwise your whole life”, I said, feeling my eyes welling up. “And taken advantage of. You know my history.

“Indeed”, Michael said as he pressed his forehead to mine. “But it’s the absolute truth.” He trailed off and climbed on top of me, beginning to kiss me deeply as he ran his hands down my sides and over my breasts. His cock was digging into the side of my leg and I could feel it beginning to harden as he began to slowly thrust his hips. 

I barely had time to even process feeling any sort of pleasure - I was suddenly startled underneath him, hearing a loud knock on my door. 

Laying my head back in frustration, I sighed loudly. “I swear, we only get interrupted when we’re in my room!” I said, exasperated. Michael laughed and rolled off me as I stepped off the bed and fumbled through my closet, tossing on my robe quickly before going to the door. 

“Who’s there?” I asked. 

“Mallory”, I heard her say from the other side. “May I come in?” 

“Goddammit!” I said in frustration. I turned to look at Michael. “One second”, I said to him, opening the door a crack.

“Hey Barrie, I wanted to check on you”, Mallory said. “You were so upset when you turned in last night”.

“Yeah... I’m fine now”, I said, watching as Mallory peered passed me through the open door slit. 

“ _OH_ ”, she said, her eyes widening. “I see you have company”. I turned to see Michael sitting hoisted up by his elbows in my bed still, his lower half covered by the blanket. 

“Yeah... kinda”, I said. 

“May I borrow Barrie for a second, Mr. Langdon?” Mallory called to him through the door. I shushed her and heard him giggling behind us. 

“Yes, take your time”, he said from behind me as I walked out into the hall and shut the door. Mallory grabbed my arm and dragged me into her room adjacent to mine. 

“Well, I was concerned about you, but you seem to be doing okay now”, she said as she closed the door. “You  were pretty loud again last night though, I couldn’t tell if you were crying or having an orgasm”. She laughed and I could feel myself blushing. 

“Oh,  _fuck_ ”, I said, looking at my feet. 

“I’ll say”, Mallory responded as I smacked her on the arm. 

“Shut up!” I said. “I’m sorry you had to hear that... again. He came to check on me and it started out with just him laying with me. And well... well, yeah”. My face was so hot, I could feel the back of my neck starting to sweat. “I guess it just sort of snowballed from there”. Figured I would leave Mallory in the dark about the fact that I had initiated the make up sex with Michael in the first place, thinking to myself that I probably was subconsciously avoiding the major subject at hand. 

“I take it you two aren’t fighting anymore”, she said with a laugh. “I’m glad though. You were so upset and I was so worried. Although you do have a track record of waking me up with your moaning”. 

I glared at her and she laughed again.

“Yeah, again, I’m sorry about that”, I said. “We’ll stick to his room from now on. Nobody ever hears anything down in that secluded corner”. 

“Definitely not”, Mallory said. She reached forward and gave me a hug. “I meant what I said yesterday”, she said to me. “If you want to vent about whatever it was that you guys fought about...” 

“It’s okay”, I replied. “It’s over now, I think. We sort of worked things out”.

I thought to myself how that wasn’t actually true; we hadn’t talked much about the issue at all and had only spent most of the morning sleeping and fucking. I knew we definitely couldn’t keep avoiding it, but I also didn’t know how to approach it rationally without getting angry at him. 

My thoughts suddenly came to a stop when I heard the doorknob to Mallory’s room turning. Her eyes widened and she stood there frozen, her mouth dropped open. Without warning, she reached her hands up and covered her eyes through her glasses swiftly. 

“Mal, are you okay?” I asked as I felt a hand slip onto my shoulder from behind. 

“I believe she’ll be fine, once the shock of seeing the human anatomy wears off for her”, I heard Michael’s voice behind me. I turned and my own eyes nearly popped out of my head - he was standing there next to us in Mallory’s room and was still naked. 

“Um, I’m sorry for leaving my door unlocked, Mr. Langdon”, Mallory said, turning around. 

“And my apologies for the intrusion, especially like this”, Michael replied with a smirk. I glared at him and he merely grinned back at me. He made a wave of his hand and in an instant, he was fully clothed. He made another wave and Mallory turned around with her eyes uncovered. 

“Sorry for keeping her, sir”, she said, and I was slightly confused as any previous hint of embarrassment at seeing Michael naked seemed to have vanished. I looked at him curiously. 

“It’s quite all right”, he said. “Although, you must know that Barrie will be taking the day off today. I will speak with Ms. Venable to allow it. Also, Mallory, I’m aware that Barrie has informed you of the romantic nature of our involvement”.

“She has, sir”, Mallory replied, standing with her hands behind her back. 

“I would hope that you will continue to keep our relationship a secret from the powers that be in this compound”, he said, slipping his arm around me and pulling me close to him. “While I’m equally aware that Ms. Venable has eased up on the rules, I am quite smitten with your friend here”. He looked down at me and kissed the side of my head. I could feel myself blushing and saw Mallory’s mouth shift into a small smile. 

“So, for all of our sakes, I think it would be best to just keep this between the three of us”, he continued. “I love your friend, very much so, and would hate for her to endure any punishment for it. I know you wouldn’t want that either”.

“Of course not, Mr. Langdon”, she responded, and I could see her trembling a bit. She clearly was still afraid of him. “Your secret is safe with me”. 

I said my goodbye to Mallory as Michael escorted me out of her room.

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Michael’s POV**

 

 

Ms. Venable granted his request to give Barrie the day off, although with the amount of sex they had been having that day, Michael hardly allowed her much time to relax. 

Still, they managed to have a quiet moment of solitude. As to not arouse too much suspicion (and Mallory covering for them), after going at it like rabbits in the shower that morning (which they hadn’t done since the day he interviewed her; they had showered together a few times, but nothing occurred aside from actually cleaning each other and mild touching), they retreated to his office downstairs to make it look like she was in bed sick and he was working. 

It was early afternoon, and the state of his office looked like a tornado had ripped through it. The papers from his desk were strewn across the floor, the aftermath of Michael bending her over the desk top not long after they had descended down the spiral staircase. 

They currently were wrapped up in the sheets and blanket from his bed, which he had used his magic to make appear in the room and laid it out on the floor in front of the fireplace. The loveseat that they first did it on the day of her interview now stood in literal broken shambles in the corner of the room; the previous day when they were not speaking, Michael had become so frustrated and upset at one point that he conjured dozens of knives and used the piece of furniture as if it were his personal dartboard multiple times throughout the day. He could easily fix it, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. He used the knives with his hands a few times but used his magic just as much, mimicking back to the day in his youth when he was grocery shopping with Ms. Mead and ended up using his abilities to stab the butcher over the deli counter to death after he had insulted her. An incident that lead to his arrest, which lead to Ariel Augustus finding him and releasing him from jail, taking him to the Hawthorne School that was now Outpost 3. It all came full circle, after all. 

Michael normally could keep his desires under control throughout the day, although often he found himself missing her when she was on her shifts and he was holed up in his office. Still reeling and processing his heartbreak from the day before, he’s making up for it by doing exactly what he said he would do, not letting her out of his sight. Which also means that he wants to be inside her at every opportunity now that he has her back. He’s unsure if his currently heightened state of constant arousal will diminish any time soon. His sexual stamina is already much higher than the average human; he learned to live without it for years and channeled it into other means, such as manipulation. But now that he knows love, and has come close to losing it, something inside him has snapped and he wants nothing more than to spend this day making up for lost time. Even a single day without her was lost time to him. 

Michael Langdon has never been certain of many things in his life. Even his role as the Chosen One, the Antichrist, hasn’t been an absolute certainty to him on several occasions. He is certain, though, and has never been more certain, that he is head over heels in love with this small, brown haired, hazel eyed woman. He tells Barrie constantly to reassure her, but she is so beautiful to him. 

She’s beautiful, even when she wakes up cranky next to him in the morning with her hair doing wild things and her morning breath. When she comes back into his room after her day has ended and sometimes needs to shower because she has sweat so much from all the manual labor she’s endured all day. When her allergies kicked in that one day and caused her to snore somewhat loudly in her sleep that night due to her stuffed nose (which he didn’t tell her and mostly laughed to himself about; he also didn’t tell her that he used his magic to help clear her sinuses as she slept). He knew now that she was somewhat messy, possibly a result of her ADHD, leaving her belongings in an unkept pile on his bedroom floor, a stark contrast to Michael’s excessively tidy space. She’s still just as beautiful even in these moments as she is when she is riding him on the floor of his office with the roaring fire glowing behind her, as if she was sent from the circles of Hell below, for him and only him. 

The little things that normally could maybe irritate someone about their significant other when they begin co-habitation, Michael finds them all endearing, extremely mild annoyances at best. So mild, that he doesn’t care. He still finds it funny that in their shared dream of the Satanic congregation in his past, Barrie expressed concern, albeit jokingly, that him watching her eat would be cause for him to end their relationship. He laughed at the thought. He knows if that were truly the case, he could think of more than a few things that would annoy him enough to end it. He finds it equally amusing that while he is worried that his destiny and disturbing past will be the catalyst to end what they have between them, she is merely worried about such little things that Michael actually finds adorable in her. 

He hasn’t told her that while they weren’t speaking the following day, she still left some of her things in his room. He assumes she knew. Regardless, not long after she left the room and he got dressed, trying his damndest not to cry, he had rummaged through a small pile of her unkept clothing near his bed. His hands stroked over the fabric of her laundry, and he had pulled out one of the plain cotton T-shirts that she occasionally would sleep in. Michael usually slept naked due to his already warm body emanating even more heat whenever they finished their trysts. Barrie, on the other hand, didn’t always, and would sometimes change into just those shirts and her panties. He chose a shirt she had worn a few nights earlier because it still smelled like her; he had carried it inside his jacket all day and even placed it beside him on his bed before he got up to go drop off his declined invitation to the Halloween party and go check on Barrie. Having an item that smelled of her, of her deodorant, and general scent, made him feel somewhat better. He was nearly embarrassed to admit that he had spent parts of the day where he wasn’t physically or magically throwing knives at the loveseat in his office, he had spent sitting at his desk sniffing her T-shirt. As he told her, he had prepared himself that she wouldn’t forgive him, and he wanted to remember what she smelled like as long as he still had access to it. 

Laying with her next to the warm fire, he’s thinking that he is happy he doesn’t have to forget that. She squirms a bit when she catches him inhaling her hair next to her ear on the floor. 

“What are you doing?” She asks quietly. 

Michael smiles at her and cuddles closer under the blanket.

“Just thinking about how lucky I am”, he says back, slipping his fingers through hers. 

“Lucky?” She asks curiously.

“Yes”, he responds. He leans in and kisses both of her cheeks and lips softly. “I’m just so glad you’re mine”. 

Barrie presses her head against his.

“You told Mallory that you love me”, she says to him. “I’m sort of amazed that you just straight out told her that”.

“I hadn’t intended to”, he says honestly. “It just kind of slipped out. She already knows we are involved; I figured no harm in telling her the full extent of it at this point.”

“I hadn’t told her it was serious”, she says. “I mean, I think she knew, but not that we were in love or anything like that. I also still can’t believe you just walked in there naked”.

Michael laughs.

“Would you believe I simply forgot?” He asks with a smirk. “Besides, Mallory has also forgotten now as well”.

“I _thought_ you  did something. It seemed like she wasn’t embarrassed anymore and I was confused”.

“Indeed I did”, Michael says. “Standard memory wiping magic. I only did a small bit though. As far as she knows, I walked into the room fully clothed. Everything else we discussed, she has full knowledge of. But, enough about Mallory.  I’m in the mood to do something for you, my love. What would you like?” 

She looks at him and grins. “I want your lips all over me”, she says quietly.   

He leans in and consumes Barrie’s mouth in a tender kiss, which soon becomes a deep and crushing one. A kiss that much like many others, begins on her lips and extends to Michael moving both his mouth and hands lower down her body, from her neck to her collarbones. 

He arrives at her  breasts, making a pit stop to caress them and place soft kisses on her perfect pink nipples, which have hardened under his tongue as he drags it along them both before taking them into his mouth one after the other. 

He continues down her stomach, his hands roaming and exploring her torso, running his fingers along her ribcage and her sides, until he finally reaches the area between her legs that he adores. 

He slips two fingers inside her warm wetness and curls them, locating a spongey spot that he has found only a couple of times before, smirking to himself as she reacts by bucking her hips into his hand and moaning loudly. When he eventually chooses to add on to this by descending his mouth to her labia, after a minute or so of planting kisses and gentle nibbles along her inner thighs, he uses his magic to hold her in place because of how fast her hips are flailing. He begins to lick long stripes upwards before slipping his tongue inside her folds and finally sucks on her sensitive clit, which has become swollen, and combined with finding her G-spot, he is left in surprise as she lets herself go and he hears her let out possibly the loudest moan she has ever let escape. 

Michael removes his fingers, pulling his mouth away and licking them both as he hears her whine softly from the sudden loss of contact. She has already orgasmed, but he is determined to do it again as he wants to savor the smell and taste of her. He holds her by the hips now and focuses his mouth on her soaking wet pussy once more, and it isn’t long before she cums all over his lips and chin yet again. 

When she finishes, Michael stays with his head between her legs, looking up at her as he brushes his fingers across her inner thighs and over her stomach. He watches with intensity as she breathes heavily and comes down from her orgasm, thinkingthat he’s pleased with himself that he’s made her feel so good. His cock is hard and his own swollen tip has begun to throb, but he will go no further without her consent. 

Right now, he’s more than content where he is, staring up at her from between her legs, with strands of his long hair brushing against the thick flesh of her thighs as he strokes them both with his hands. He stays like this for at least a couple of minutes before she returns his gaze. She knows he’s waiting for her to give permission to do anything else. He hears her thinking that she herself is also lucky, to have found someone who respects her and her traumatic past enough to never just assume anything of her. 

“Barrie”, he says softly. “Of course I will always respect you. I love you”. He smiles wide at her, not even caring anymore that she tends to be thrown off when he reads her thoughts and responds to them without warning. 

“I love you too, Michael”, she says, and he hears a quiver in her voice as she smiles back at him. “I would also love... if you were inside me right now”. 

That does it. 

In almost an instant, he’s on top of her once again, but keeps the tender moment between them by going slow and soft this time, kissing and caressing her face gently as he thrusts. Meeting her gaze, his fingers brush across her cheeks as he buries his head into the crook of her shoulder. 

“Your eyes”, he says in a low voice when he meets her gaze again as he continues to thrust. “They’re so beautiful.  _You’re_ so beautiful.” 

She lifts her hand up and touches his face. She doesn’t say anything back, but he knows she is thinking the exact same thing about his own eyes. About him. 

His breathing increases and he pants heavily, her moans and body spasms driving his movements. He feels her body shake and her walls clenching around his cock, as she bites down on her lower lip to keep from being too loud. She climaxes under him, and it’s enough for him to realize he’s done. He quickly pulls out of her and manages to leave behind a trail of his sticky mess on her stomach before he rolls off her and cleans her up with a wave of his hand. 

They spend much of the rest of the day alternating between soft and slow love making, and intense, rougher sex, depending on Michael’s mood, which sometimes flips as quickly if he were turning a light switch on and off. He allows them breaks for their meal cubes, which he has requested that Mallory deliver each time to his office, again to not arouse suspicion and have Ms. Venable breathing down their necks. He of course allows them bathroom breaks as well. He even takes a moment to retrieve a washcloth from his bathroom soaked with cool water, and places it between Barrie’s legs when she tells him she’s started feeling a little sore. 

He takes that as a cue to finally let them both just rest and hold each other, but still allowing for deep and passionate kisses. Michael sometimes forgets that her stamina is not on par with his, and then feels badly when he starts thinking that maybe he overdid it. Between the cool cloth and his healing magic, she eventually tells him that the soreness has subsided, but nonetheless he’s given up his repeated advances for now. He never wants her to feel even an ounce of physical or emotional pain when she’s with him. 

When Mallory comes by and leaves their dinner cubes outside of his office door later that evening, Barrie is napping on the floor and Michael manages to slip his pants back on to get them. Mallory is already gone when he opens the door, and he sees her silhouette running off in the distance and down the hall. He knows she is afraid of him, though he’s still secretly worried about her. 

He takes the tray with the plates and closes the door behind him, bringing them to his desk but allowing Barrie to continue to nap. Michael hasn’t told her that he has been thinking of making a surprise appearance at the Halloween party, which is the day after tomorrow. He hasn’t fully decided yet, but the selfish part of him wants to show her off and finally reveal themselves as a couple to the rest of the Outpost, before everyone consumes the poisoned apples and dies anyway. He’s never danced with anyone, but kind of wants to with her in a strange way. He has so many thoughts of the next couple of days and how they are going to play out. 

When he sees her stirring and her eyes open slowly, he brings the plates with the cubes over and they eat together on the makeshift bed on the floor. After finishing the cubes, they lay there talking for a while before Michael transmutates them both, and the blankets and sheets, back to his room upstairs. He’ll deal with the mess by his desk tomorrow.

She helps him to put the sheets back on the bed and notices her T-shirt crumbled in a ball in the spot where she usually sleeps. 

“Is that my shirt?” She asks, her eyes widened. 

Michael looks down at the bed and doesn’t say anything for a minute or so. 

“I - I hope you don’t mind”, he says almost shyly, feeling embarrassed at what he’s done. “I just missed you so much yesterday, and I wanted something that smelled like you...”

He looks up and her and sees her eyes getting wet. 

“You took my dirty T-shirt because it smelled like me?” She said. 

Michael nods. “I may have carried it around with me all day”, he admits, not even sure what her reaction will be. 

His apprehension fades when he sees tears falling from her eyes and her mouth curving into a massive smile. 

“That is the sweetest fucking thing I’ve ever heard”, she says, and climbs on the bed, reaching up and throwing her arms around him. She kisses him hard and pulls him down on the bed with her. Michael thinks that he is the happiest he has ever been, quite possibly, right now. 

He just hopes it will continue to stay that way after everyone is dead. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the numerous errors in grammar and spelling here, I’m going to fix them as I go along. 
> 
> I personally didn’t love this chapter, but I’m trying to work towards the Halloween party slowly. I implied it here, but Michael is using his powers of seduction on Barrie for obvious reasons, like he did in the beginning - to keep her preoccupied and not get too curious about what he’s planning for the party. She’s noticing it of course, but I’m not making her brush it aside for nothing - let’s just say, Michael has a silent hand in keeping her mindset wishy-washy about the whole thing. 
> 
> There’s a hint in the conversation she has with Mallory, where she talks about Mallory’s relationship with Coco and mentions Coco’s ex-boyfriend Brock- everyone who has seen Apocalypse knows what goes down in both the third episode and the finale, and I figured it was good to sneak that in there a bit as this starts to wind down. 
> 
> See ending notes below for more!

“So I’ve been thinking...” Michael said to me in a serious tone, before his sentence trailed off. He was lost in concentration as his soft hands and fingers caressed themselves over my left foot.

It was early in the morning after the full day we had spent together. I didn’t have to be up for my shift for about three hours, but both Michael and I were wide awake. 

I was in one of my cotton T-shirts (a clean one, which despite the absolute sweetness of Michael telling me that he had taken one of my dirty ones because he said it smelled like me, I had managed to pry it away from him saying that I needed to do my laundry, which wasn’t a lie) and my panties, laying on his bed with my legs stretched out across his lap. Michael, also in his underwear, was sitting up and massaging my feet, the result of me having a blister, and he had insisted on doing them both for me when I complained about being in pain from it as I had exited the bathroom earlier. 

_So he goes from licking blood off my feet to massaging them in the span of a week_.  I couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement at the situation. 

“What were you thinking?” I asked, flinching as I felt his thumbnail dig into the base of my foot directly underneath my toes. “Ow! Not so hard!” 

“I’m sorry”, he said, lightening the touch of his fingers. “Forgive me, my darling. I’ve never done this before”.

“Why don’t you just use your magic to heal the fucking thing for me?” I asked, flinching again under his palm. 

“I could”, he said with a grin. “But I’m enjoying this much more”. 

He made a wave of his hand and a bottle of the body lotion I had brought with me into his room suddenly appeared next to him on the bed. Michael picked up the plastic bottle, flipped open the top and squeezed some of the cool, lavender colored liquid into his palm as he worked it onto my ankles and glided his hand further up my foot. 

“You’re really going all out with this”, I said, feeling somewhat shocked. “I had no idea this is what you meant when you said you would rub my feet for me”. 

“Truth be told, I didn’t quite know myself”, he said, squirting more of the opaque liquid into his hand as he worked his fingers on the underside now. “I’m basically just doing what feels right. As I said, I’ve never done this before for anyone, so I want to make it perfect for you”. He shot me a half smile and squeezed more lotion into his palm, before switching over to the other foot.

“I appreciate it”, I said. “Though it’s not necessary to be perfect...” 

“Yes, it is”, he cut me off. “Just sit back and relax. What’s that line from Shakespeare? ‘The lady doth protests too much’?” 

I looked at him curiously. “You’ve read  _Hamlet?_ ” I asked. 

“In an elective class at warlock school”, he said in response. “And since I know you’re thinking it - yes, we did also read  _Macbeth._  That one was the mandatory requirement. _Hamlet_ was an optional addition.”

I couldn’t help but smile to myself as he rubbed more lotion onto my foot. 

“Did you also read  _Harry Potter_?”A potentially silly question, but I had to ask.

Michael gave me another half smile as he continued rubbing my foot. “No”, he said. “We did however, watch the first film in another class. I think the course was called ‘Hollywood Representations of Magic’ or something to that effect”. 

I smiled to myself again. The thought of Michael watching one of the Harry Potter movies was adorable in my mind. 

“So, as I was saying”, he continued finally. “I’ve been thinking quite a bit about it, and... I think it would be best if you didn’t attend this Halloween gathering tomorrow. I realize Ms. Venable said attendance was mandatory, but I’m sure I can get you out of it”. 

I sat up and raised an eyebrow. 

“Is this because you’re not going?” I asked. 

Michael looked up from my foot and made eye contact with me. 

“Didn’t you say that it would probably make you anxious, anyway?” He asked. 

I shrugged. “I mean, yeah, but I’ve been thinking too and... it might be fun. You don’t have to go, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to”.

Michael sighed. 

“Trust me”, he said quietly, running his fingers through my toes. I squirmed at the tickling feeling. “I just... I don’t think it would be wise for you to go. That’s all”. 

“You’re being so vague”, I said to him, giving him a glare. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?” 

Michael got quiet again and continued to run his fingers across the bottom of my foot, then closed the lotion bottle and tossed it aside. I no longer felt the dull throb of the blister on my foot’s underside, assuming he had used his magic after all. He lifted my foot up and planted a light kiss on my big toe, before sliding back on the bed and leaning against the pillows. He laid on his side on his arm, staring at me. 

I laid down on my side and stared back at him, waiting for him to say something. 

Instead, he scooted down and rested his head in my lap, reaching up to hold my hand. With my opposite hand, I caressed his silky hair with my fingers. 

“We can make our own fun”, he said finally, after laying there silent for some time, looking up at me and winking. “Like we did yesterday. That was most certainly fun, spending the entire day together”. 

I laughed, but also rolled my eyes.

“It was”, I said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love being with you. You know I do. I just... I sort of feel like being social for once, with others. Also, well... you know, you made me sore after a while”. 

Michael laughed and lightly kissed the back of my palm. 

“You do know that I enjoy just having you around me. And I suppose I’m failing to see why you want to go”, he replied. “I thought you hated these people. Besides Mallory”. 

“Hate is a strong word”, I said, and meaning it. “I mean, I could care less about them, but I certainly don’t _hate_ them. Even as much of a bitch as Coco is, I don’t hate her. I have no real reason to. Mallory has every right to, and even she doesn’t. I don’t hate any of them, really. ‘Indifferent’ would be closer to the truth, I think.” 

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Even Ms. Venable?” 

“She’s a bitchy dictator, no doubt about it”, I said. “But... no, I don’t hate her. Not really. I have no reason to really hate anyone here. Wasted energy, if you ask me”. 

Michael reached his other hand up and touched my cheek with his fingers. 

“I’m constantly in awe of you”, he said softly. “There is never an ounce of true, real darkness in you that I sense. You live with these people that you don’t care for, and yet you still wish no ill will on any of them. You truly astonish me in every possible way”. 

“If that’s the case, why am I so perfect in your eyes?” I asked teasingly. “Wouldn’t the Antichrist want an evil queen? Is this a strange case of opposites attracting?” 

Michael chuckled, turning on his side but still keeping his head in my lap. “You should know by now all the reasons why I’ve fallen so hard for you”, he said into my legs. “We have a deep connection. You said you felt it when you first saw me. I felt it when I first saw you. Why should anything else matter besides our love?” 

“I guess you’re right”, I said, pushing some of the strands of Michael’s long hair out of his eyes. His bright ocean blue hues stared up at me and I felt myself nearly drowning in them, as I usually did. I thought to myself that I should probably get over my fear and talk about how I wanted to discuss my feelings with him about everything he had told me, including more about why he didn’t want me to attend the party. 

I then became distracted by Michael lightly running the tips of his fingers across my inner thighs as they were crossed under his cheek. He turned his head and gently pressed his lips against my skin, softly kissing up my thighs. I suddenly felt the feeling and imprint of one of his fingers and rings against the crotch of my panties, and a tingle ran through my legs. 

“What are you doing?” I asked him. “I like it, but I told you, I still am kinda sore...” 

He peered up at me with wanting eyes. 

“May I touch you?” he asked in a seductive tone. “We don’t have to fuck, or be rough. I thought you would know by now that I love this just as much. I enjoy savoring your taste anyway. I love this so,  so much. Slowly... gently... reaching up your thighs and making my way further...” He dragged his fingers up the insides of my thighs, beginning to glide his tongue along them. 

“Oh, yes”, he purred into my legs, as a soft hum escaped his lips. “This is more than sufficient for now. I do so love your thighs.” 

“Michael...” I started to say, but nodded in agreement and felt myself feeling more tingles as he brushed his fingers over my covered crotch, so delicately, to the point where I felt my vaginal muscles starting to clench. He sat up and turned himself over so his face was in line with the area between my legs. I hummed now, in pleasure at the sensation of his hands cupped over me. 

His hooked two of his fingers through the bottom ends of my panties. I felt the tip of his finger sliding slowly into me and I moaned in response. 

“You should take these off before I rip them off you”, he said in a gruff, almost harsh sounding voice. “I know I said slow and gentle, but your scent is so enticing...”

“Come on, we still need to talk”, I said, but the feeling of his fingers was becoming impossible to ignore. 

“Let’s talk later”, he said flatly, before looking up at me and licking his lips. “May I take them off then, if you won’t? I am so close to being driven to madness by your smell. Good thing I haven’t had breakfast yet, because I would love to  eat _you_ right now.”

I didn’t have a chance to protest, unlike his quoting Shakespeare about me protesting too much. His touches and suggestive words were enough to make me putty in his hands, and he knew it. 

“Take them off”, I said. 

Michael looked up at me. “Let me try something”, he said. 

I barely had a minute to even wonder what he had in mind. The next thing I knew, Michael’s face had lowered and his lips parted, taking a corner of the elastic waistband into his mouth and biting down on to it. He closed his eyes tightly, and used both his teeth and hand to slowly slide my panties down my until they were midway down my thighs. He let go of the waistband and slipped his hands under them, pulling them down my legs roughly, tossing them aside when they were completely off. 

“Um, wow”, I said, watching him intensely as he buried his head between my legs and my shirt was bunched up towards my neck, his hands reaching underneath it to squeeze my breasts. “I didn’t know you could do that...”

Michael looked up and made eye contact with me for a second. “First time for everything”, he said with a smirk, before he began to work his mouth over me as he caressed my breasts under my shirt.

He stayed down below my stomach for a good twenty minutes, and I orgasmed three times in that period before I gently pushed him away from feeling over sensitive, leaving Michael still laying with his head in my lap as I came down from my high. We stayed like that for some time afterwards, not speaking and him continuing to gently brush his fingers along my legs.

I didn’t allow things to get any further than that, and eventually jumped off his bed and hopped into the shower to get ready for my shift. 

I couldn’t help but notice that whenever I tried to bring up either the party or how I was feeling about everything else, while I was getting ready for the day, Michael would come up and start kissing my neck or my lips, or touch me in some way. Healways asked first, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew damn well by now that he could make me turn into mush by touching me, and was doing that to keep my mind off discussing anything. I tuned much of it out, but my head kept telling me that he was hiding something else, and he was distracting me at every turn.

 

* * *

Much to Michael’s chagrin, later that day during one of my breaks, I chose to go off with Mallory, who was noticeably upset about something. I went to her room with her and sat at the edge of her bed while she reached into her apron’s pocket. She held out two pieces of black lacy fabric and handed one to me.

“Figured we could use these as masks for tomorrow”, she said. 

“Where did you get this?” I asked curiously, only to watch her hang her head. 

“Gallant gave me the key to Evie’s room and let me into one of her trunks”, she said quietly. She must have seen the look on my face because she immediately followed it up. “He - he gave me permission. I know it’s sort of morbid, but he was helping Coco with a hairstyle this morning and I asked if I could use some of her stuff. She told me no, because of course she did. Then she said nastily to me that Evie doesn’t need any of her crap anymore, so just go through hers...” 

She paused and then sighed. 

“I fucking... I really don’t know why I try so hard”, she said, and I heard a quiver in her voice. “She said that she thinks they’re using this party as an excuse to announce who’s going to the Sanctuary”.

“If they are, Michael hasn’t said anything about it”, I said, as I raised an eyebrow. “He told me they invited him and he’s not going”. 

“See, I knew it couldn’t be that”, Mallory continued. “I also - they both, her and Gallant, seem convinced he’s chosen them, and when I tried to tell them about what happened during my interview, with the flames and stuff, they both laughed at me. Ugh, I don’t know why I even try with her anymore. If she wasn’t so fucking helpless...” I could see Mallory’s eyes tearing up. 

“You know, when she took me to her father’s plane the day the bombs fell, she told me she needed me. She said she can’t even work a dishwasher without my help. I owe her my life, but I just... I don’t know why I bother. She treats me like absolute shit”. 

“I keep telling you. Just walk away. Tell her off and that you’re done with her”, I said. “Be assertive about it. It’s basically quitting a job that you aren’t getting paid for anymore.” 

“I know”, Mallory said. “It’s just - she really does need me. I wish I knew why I couldn’t just do it, but I can’t”. 

I could see Mallory was becoming very visibly upset, so I decided to change the subject. 

“So... this is strange”, I told her. “But this morning, Michael was saying he doesn’t want me to go to the party. I told him Ms. Venable said attendance was mandatory for everyone here, but he told me that he probably can get me out of it. He won’t say why he doesn’t want me there though, that’s the strange part. Every time I asked him to tell me, he avoids it. In fact, I’m getting the vibe from him that he gets physical with me when he hears me talking about it...”

“Wait,  physical?” Mallory asked, as her eyes widened. 

“Oh, I mean sexually”, I said quickly, realizing how my other statement had sounded. “Like he’ll come up and kiss my neck or touch me in some way to lead me into becoming distracted so we’re doing something and then not talking. It feels like he’s avoiding it for sure”. 

Mallory smirked. “Well,  _excuse_ me, I’m sorry I don’t have a charismatic, gorgeous man who wants to have sexy times with me”, she said with a sarcastic laugh, and I tossed the piece of lace she gave me at her in jest. 

“Oh, speaking of”, she continued. “That reminds me. Naomi told me yesterday thatshe overheard fucking Scott talking to someone - apparently, he’s making rounds through all the women Greys trying to land a date for the party. She told me to tell you to watch out for him. I already am”.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. Scott was one of the male Greys and had a bit of a reputation among us as being a bit of a Casanova; he had been secretly making his way through all the women Greys in some capacity, somehow managing to always slip underneath Venable’s rules, since the day we arrived in the Outpost eighteen months earlier. 

It was known between Mallory, Naomi and myself that we were the only women Greys he hadn’t privately messed around with in some way - Naomi was a lesbian as it was, so she always turned him down, but both Mallory and I saw through his bullshit from the beginning and avoided him at all costs. He was attractive enough - tall with black hair, brown eyes, a jawline that was prominent like Michael’s, and somewhat on the muscular side. But he was also a total self-absorbed asshole. He had unsuccessfully tried to sleep with both Emily and Coco when we first got here, both of whom turned him down; Emily was in love with Timothy, of course, and Mallory told me Coco had told him she was still mourning the death of her boyfriend, Brock, who was supposed to go on the plane with her and Mallory to the Outpost on the day the bombs fell, but got stuck in traffic in Santa Monica and never made it. The reality was, Coco didn’t care about Brock anymore, but she wasn’t remotely interested in Scott and thought he was beneath her. 

So, he then had spent the last year and a half going through every female Grey except the three of us. I knew there was absolutely no way he would be into me normally, and although I had similar reservations about Michael in the beginning but knew now that he actually loved me. Unlike Scott, who I always suspected had some kind of ulterior motive. 

My suspicions proved right not long after Mallory had to return to her chores, and I still had some time left on my break.

 

* * *

 

I wandered past Michael’s office and found the door closed, so assuming he was busy, decided to spend some time in the library for a bit. I sat down at the large black piano that was situated in the corner of the room and tapped at the keys, not actually knowing how to play, but looking for something to do. Not long after I had taken my place on the bench, I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder, and reached out and touched the fingers, assuming it was Michael. 

“Well, this is a surprise”, I suddenly heard an unfamiliar man’s voice say. “Didn’t think you had any interest in even talking to me, let alone holding my hand”. The palm gripped my shoulder and I yanked my hand away, turning around and realizing it was Scott.  Because of fucking course it was.

“Oh, hi”, I said, trying to be as curt as possible with him. “Can I help you with something, Scott?” 

He removed his hand from my shoulder and gently pushed me aside on the piano bench, squeezing himself next to me. 

“Listen, Barrie”, he said in a low voice. “I realize we’ve barely spoken, and I’m sorry for that...”

“I’m not”, I said under my breath. 

“But, I was thinking now is as good a time as any to properly become acquainted, wouldn’t it?” He looked at me and grinned, running his fingers through his slicked, black hair. 

“What are you talking about?” I asked, feigning ignorance. 

“Oh, I was thinking, would you be interested in being my guest for the Halloween party tomorrow?”

“I - I don’t think it’s like a school dance or some bullshit”, I said to him. “I don’t think having a guest or a date is required. Venable just said attendance was mandatory”. 

“I know, but from what I know, all the Purples basically have pseudo dates”, Scott replied. “I’ve heard them all talking - Dinah is accompanying Andre, Coco is with Gallant, and obviously Tim and Emily are going together. We might as well give it a shot too, so we don’t look like losers”.

“They’re just probably going to look down their noses at us anyway”, I said. “What’s the point in trying to be like them?”

“Fucking hell, Cohen, why are you being so goddamn difficult?!” Scott spat at me, before taking a breath and in a not so subtle move, pretended to yawn and slipped his arm around me. 

_Fuck, what a pretentious scumbag, who is resorting to the corniest move in the book._

I lifted his hand off me. “Please don’t touch me”, I asked as politely as possible. “Look, Scott, I’m flattered”, I lied. “But, I’m not interested. Thanks anyway”. 

I stood up and went to make my way back towards my room. The next thing I knew, Scott grabbed my arm hard and pulled me towards him. 

“Jesus, you’re really so difficult and frigid”, he hissed in my face, his flirty expression becoming one of anger now. “It’s bad enough that Mallory already just turned me down too, and that ice queen Naomi won’t let me slip her some good dick...”

“That’s not how being a lesbian works, you piece of shit!” I snapped at him. He gripped both my wrists hard and I tried to remove myself from his hands, but his hold on me was too rough. 

“Do you know how fucking bored I have been the last year and a half?!” He snapped back at me. “I’ve managed to keep my conquests under the radar, far away from Venable’s eye, and I’m so close to completing my goal now...”

“Goal?” I asked. “What the fuck, Scott?”

“It’s become a fun game, really”, he said, looking down at me with angry eyes. “I’ve banged every Grey girl in this Outpost. Except you, Mallory and Naomi. Naomi I’ve more or less given up on, so it’s between you and Mallory now. You both should be so lucky that I’ve been so bored, I’ve lowered my usual standards. Mallory could be a total babe if she tried, but she’s too quiet, and doesn’t care. I’ll get there at some point, she just doesn’t know it yet. You, on the other hand... fuck, you should consider yourself lucky someone like me even is offering myself to you! You look like a fucking dwarf, you’re so short it’s laughable, and you are a weird, ugly, annoying little bitch. I mean, I’ll fuck you anyway because I’m that bored and I’m willing to bet you haven’t had a dick in you in forever...”

“Go fuck yourself!” I yelled to him now. “And let go of me!”

Scott gripped my wrists even tighter, and I could feel them starting to hurt. I struggled to move and felt his free hand reach down under the skirt of my uniform and poked around between my legs, tears streaming down my cheeks now. 

I froze and opened my mouth to yell as loud as I possibly could, when Scott’s hand released mine and I became startled as I saw him fly backwards and be pushed hard against the wall, being held a few inches above the floor by an unseen force. 

“ _What the fuck_?!” He shouted, and his head jerked back into the wall.

“Is there a problem here?” I heard a familiar man’s voice behind me, turning around to see Michael walk past me and slowly approached Scott with an almost eerily calm look on his face. It was clear to me that he was using his magic on him, but the way his demeanor was so mild, seemed very strange to me. I had expected him to be livid, but he wasn’t. At least, he didn’t appear to be.

“L-Langdon, what is...” Scott stammered from against the wall, but didn’t get to finish his sentence as the next thing I knew, Michael was standing right in front of him, reached out with his hand and wrapped his palm tightly around Scott’s neck. 

“Well, well, well,” he said in a low tone. “Scott Anderson, correct? I believe we had our interview last week.”

Scott somehow managed to nod his head, despite that Michael was holding his neck to the point where I could see his face turning red. 

“Listen to me”, Michael said to him, leaning his face in to meet Scott’s gaze. “You are to not touch, speak to, or even  _look_ in Miss Cohen’s direction anymore. Unlike you filthy pissant, she is an amazing person. You aren’t worth to kiss her feet. You’re basically dirt underneath her shoes. She is absolutely none of the things you claim she is, though I won’t try and convince you, as you’ve made up your mind that she is merely just a walking hole for you to stick your boring cock into. You won’t remember this interaction between us, but if I catch you going near her again, I assure you that cock of yours will have no longer any use, because it won’t be attached to your body anymore. Do you understand? Leave. Barrie. Alone!” 

Michael suddenly let go of Scott’s neck, dropping him to the floor. He choked and gasped for air, struggling as he slowly rose to his feet. Even from standing off to the side, I could see Michael giving Scott an icy, cold stare. 

“What- the - fuck - _are_ \- you?” Scott managed to choke out, still struggling for air as he massaged his neck and his face returned to his normal color. I was truthfully surprised that Michael hadn’t completely crushed his windpipe.

“It doesn’t matter”, Michael replied to him in a quiet voice. “Leave Barrie alone, or you won’t get out alive next time. You won’t remember what happened here...” He suddenly made a circular motion with his hand. Scott closed his mouth and blinked a few times. 

“But you will know well to not fucking touch or look at her, ever again!” Michael continued. “Now get out of here, before I change my mind about killing you”.

Scott backed away slowly before turning around, and ran out of the library foyer faster than I had ever seen any person run. 

 

* * *

 

“Michael, what the hell did you do?!” I shouted at him.

“Relax, I wasn’t going to kill him”, Michael said with a devilish grin. “Just wanted to scare him a little. If he ever comes near you again, however, I _will_ have his head on a spit. I promise you that.”

He took my hand and yanked me into him hard, so I was facing him. “You’re  mine, and nobody touches you in that manner but me”. He hissed at me through gritted teeth, and the next thing I knew he was leaning down with his lips smashing hard into mine. He kissed me roughly and harshly, his hands roaming and grabbing every part of my upper body. 

I should have been mad at him. I could have just as easily pushed him off and walked away, but as usual, he had this power over me that made me want him the second he touched me. 

His hands found my hair and I could feel his fingers undoing the ties, letting the bun out and my hair fall to my shoulders, which I had picked up that was a habit he had when he was getting really aroused. For whatever the reason, he always had to have his fingers in my hair whenever anything physical happened with us. That along with, he then shifted his mouth from my lips to my neck and began sucking at the skin, was always a clear indication that he was turned on. 

“Michael”, I whispered. “Someone will see us if we stay here...” 

“Trust me, nobody will see us”, he said into my ear. 

Deciding to try what I had done when I had teased him the other week, I lifted my leg up and brushed his crotch with my thigh as he kissed and sucked on my neck and other parts of my face. I could already feel his cock hardening even through his tight pants as I caressed him and speeded up my thigh thrusts, causing as much friction as possible. 

Michael pulled away from my neck and moaned, obviously enjoying the feeling of him basically riding my thigh. 

“I see you like that”, I said to him in a low voice, my own hands finding their way under his jacket and fumbling around with his vest and shirt. 

“More than you know”, he said to me, his voice pitch lowered more now. 

“Let’s go to your room before someone  actually does see us”, I whispered. “I’m still on my break. Also, why do you always have so many goddamn layers of clothing on? You don’t make it easy for me to take them off you”. 

Michael looked at me and raised an eyebrow. 

“I could very well be naked in an instant, but I enjoy making you suffer. Part of the tease, always”, he said, then took hold of both my hands and in a flash, we were no longer in the foyer. But I expected us to be in his room, and instead we were in a darkened corner. I looked around and the shadows indicated that we were tucked away under one of the Outpost stairwells, though I couldn’t tell which one. 

“I know what you’re thinking”, he said to me with a smirk. “No, we aren’t in my room. Nor yours, or my office. I’m in the mood to be a tad exhibitionist at the moment, if you wouldn’t mind indulging me on that. Spontaneous.” 

“Why am I not surprised this is something you’re into?” I said, smirking at him now. 

Michael’s hands snaked around my back and I heard him undoing the zipper in the back of my uniform. “To be completely fair, it’s something I’ve only thought about, but never actually have done”, he said, pulling the dress down and letting it pool around my feet. “I am usually a private person as you know. Private moments, especially between us in romantic scenarios such as this, are preferred to me. But, considering the stunt that little shit pulled with you earlier, I think it’s high time everyone in this Outpost knew  exactly who you belong to. Feel free to be as loud as you wish, my love, if you like. Again, trust me, I will not let Venable or anyone else lay a finger on you”. 

Michael brushed his palms lightly across my collarbones and down my ribs. “ _I_ am   the only one who gets to lay my fingers on you, after all”, he said slyly. 

I was still feeling worried, but I did believe him and absolutely trusted him. Without warning, I felt the drafty air hit my exposed skin and shuttered slightly. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, my love”, he said quietly, wrapping his arms around me. “It’s a bit chilly under here, I didn’t realize that. But... I’m sure we’ll be heating up in no time”. He winked at me and made one of his hand motions, leaving him naked in front of me and his clothes in a pile on the  floor. “My natural body heat should do the trick just as well”. 

“Michael, what happened to the tease of keeping your clothes on?” I asked. He simply grinned at me, and I also wasn’t surprised that it seemed his mind had changed, which it often did, sometimes quicker than I could keep up with. 

“You really want to do this here, don’t you?” I continued, brushing my hands up Michael’s arms as he caressed my back. “I mean... I guess we can give it a shot...” Pulling me against his body, I could already feel myself warming up a bit, in addition to feeling his cock hardening and rising against my legs. 

“Good”, he said, bending his head down and latched his lips to my neck again as his hands reached around and undid the clasp of my bra. He palmed over my breasts aggressively once it was on the floor, alternating between heavy squeezes and gentle pinches. 

“Oh  my ”, he purred. “I think your nipples might be harder than usual. Must be the chill in this corner of the Outpost. I bet I can make them hard enough to cut glass though”. He caressed his fingers over them before lowering his head and taking one breast into his mouth. 

I gasped slightly at the feeling of Michael’s tongue and mouth, as he licked and suckled both my nipples, adding to my arousal when I felt one of his fingers slip inside the waistband of my panties. 

I briefly thought to myself that I sometimes wished Michael would do what he was doing, as he did that morning, talking dirty and suggestively to me to add on to my arousal. I didn’t even have to think - he clearly heard my thoughts. 

“My dear Barrie”, he said quietly against my chest. “I knew you enjoyed me talking to you as such when I fuck you, but not  that m uch. This is new information. I think I like it”.

“You’re just so fucking good at it”, I admitted. Michael’s voice was already low and deep, and as he spoke in a seductive manner by itself, I hadn’t wanted to admit to him that it was the sound of his silky voice that contributed to it when he talked dirty. 

“Then I will absolutely do that... I will lavish you with praise. I adore every part of your body. Your magnificent, soft breasts, oh how I love them so”. He paused, pulling his face away but continuing to knead his fingers over them both with his free hand. 

“And you’re already so,  _so_ wet  as usual.” He slid the finger that was inside my panties, hovering around my crotch, and I felt him slip it in slowly and brushing against my clit, before he used his opposite hand to slide my panties completely off. 

He added a second finger and pushed me against the wall of the stairwell, and out of nowhere I felt a cold, hard object against me and looked down, seeing Michael spreading me open with his fingers and pressing the square jewel of one of his rings over my clit, which he hadn’t done recently - he lately had gotten into a routine of taking them all off generally, before we would have sex. It was rare now that he would have them on whenever he started touching me, and I had to keep my mouth closed from moaning too loud. I still felt somewhat self conscious about it, even though he had basically given me permission to do so. 

“Mmmm”, was all I managed to get out, and became distracted when Michael kissed down my stomach and bent on his knees at my crotch. He removed his fingers, seductively putting one in his mouth and licking it with closed eyes. 

“You taste utterly divine, you always do”, he said, his eyes scanning my groin before looking up at me. “May I taste more? I absolutely  _crave_ y ou, right now. I am practically drunk on you. I can never, ever get enough”. 

“You don’t need to ask!” I snapped at him. “Just do it!”

He smirked at me and kissed up and down my thighs, as he had that morning, going agonizingly slow before his lips hit my lower ones. I had to get used to the position, as Michael had never gone down on me while I was standing up before, even in the shower, and I was partially afraid that I would slip and fall over him. 

Michael pulled away briefly, and looked up at me again. 

“Darling, do not worry”, he said quietly. “You won’t fall. I’ve got you. If you do, I will make certain we transmutate up to my room and we will finish in my bed. Trust me. Please”. 

I looked down at him and smiled gently. 

“I do trust you. I love you”, I whispered. 

“I love  you ”, he whispered back, also smiling, running his hands up and down my calves and up to my thighs. “I love you more than you could possibly know. Do you think that little Grey bastard could make you feel this good? He may think so, but he just wanted to use you. He could never know or appreciate you like I do. When I heard him say to you that he wanted you just to fulfill some boredom fantasy of his, I swear I almost lit him on fire the way I did to Jeff and Mutt’s visitor. You’re not a thing to be taken advantage of, not a prize or box to check off. You’re a beautiful, loving, amazing person. You. Are.  Mine . And now, I’m going to make you cum so hard that you’ll be practically dripping down your legs and my tongue!” 

He quickly buried his face back into my legs, and I grabbed at his hair for support as he furiously licked and sucked at me below. I orgasmed not long after that, and again as Michael continued with it after I came. (I didn’t exactly drip down my legs, but his chin and face certainly were  wet when he came up for air.) Staying with his head between my legs, he looked up at me again, and I could tell he was silently asking if I wanted more. 

“Tell me”, he said. “What do you want? I want so badly to fuck you right now, but I also want to hear you say so.” 

He reached down and brushed his thumb over the flushed tip of his erect cock and began slowly stroking himself. 

I impulsively reached my hand down as well, and wrapped my fingers around his palm curled around his shaft, causing Michael to let out a small cry. 

“M- Michael!”, I stuttered, my voice raspy, still reeling from my orgasm. “Please, fuck me... I need to feel... I need to feel you inside me... filling me up...” 

In a flash, he was on his feet, thrusting himself hard into me and burying his face in my shoulder, his long strands tickling my skin, wrapping my leg around his waist as he fucked me against the wall of the stairwell. Even though Michael was distracting, I still occasionally peered over his shoulder to see if anyone was walking by. It was a thrill, knowing Ms. Venable or Ms. Mead or anyone else could come by at any minute and see us. My hands gripped his back for support and he lifted me up by my thighs, occasionally reaching around with both hands to give my ass a small squeeze. Michael had fucked me against the wall twice before, both times making me feel like he could drop me at any second if he slipped. That was before he had revealed himself to me, and now perfectly aware of his abilities, I had to partially wonder if he was using his magic to hold me still, considering his hands were in places that couldn’t have possibly been holding me up. 

“Mine!” Michael panted as he continued to thrust faster into me, pushing me up and down against the wall. “All. Fucking.  Mine!”  He pulled his head away and met my gaze, his eyes an ocean of blue, scanning me with his mouth agape, leaning his head down to brush his beautiful, luscious lips along both my cheeks and my jaw.

This was one of many times in the last couple of days that he would be fucking me hard and roughly, but still was able to maintain intimate, loving gestures, even as minor as they were. I could see a small smile forming on his lips every time he pulled his face away, nudging my nose with his, kissing me gently and tenderly, making intense eye contact. I had started to finally notice what Mallory had said about how he had looked at me. It wasn’t even always during sex - I often caught him looking at me like that when I first woke up in the morning, at random points throughout the day, sometimes when he was at his computer and would turn his head to look at me. It was a look of pure admiration, of happiness... of love. 

“Fuck! Have I ever told you how perfectly I fit inside you?” He said seductively as he pressed his head against mine. His hands held my shoulders and rubbed them gently, still continuing to thrust his hips, sliding in and out of me. “I’m still in amazement at how well our bodies fit together. We’re like two missing pieces of a puzzle, you and I, and we’ve found each other. You’re mine.  All .  Mine ”. 

My eyes began tearing up from a combination of both physical ecstasy and Michael’s words. A small tear escaped, which he leaned in and kissed away as I bit my lip hard and held back a moan. When my third orgasm hit, Michael’s thrusts suddenly became sloppy and he pulled out of me with a hiss before placing me down on the floor, and in a strange twist, he pushed me aside and held on to the wall as he came fast and heavily onto the marble texture. He panted hard and came down from his own orgasm, before I saw his sticky remnants on the wall disappear, leaving no trace behind whatsoever. 

I sat down on the floor and put my panties on, shivering in the process. Michael snapped his fingers and was fully clothed again, save for his black jacket which he held in his hand. 

“Please, let me”, he said, reaching down and draping his jacket over my shoulders. 

I turned my head and looked up at him in surprise. 

“It’s still drafty, and you were cold”, he said, helping me to stand up. “Let’s get you out of here so you can get dressed”. 

He took my hand and we were back in his room upstairs, my clothes in my hands. I removed his jacket and handed it to him. 

“You really can be quite a gentleman when you want to be”, I said to him, reaching to grab my clothes on the floor. 

He grinned at me. “What can I say? You bring that side out of me, very easily I might add, much of the time”. 

“I would hope you know that I meant what I said downstairs”, Michael continued behind me as he sat on the bed and I slipped on my bra. I picked up the Grey uniform off the floor and stepped into it. Struggling to reach around and zip myself up, Michael stood, walked over and did it for me. 

“Meant what?” I asked, reaching into my apron pocket for hair ties and tying my hair back into the bun.

I felt Michael’s arms slide around my waist and he pulled me into his chest gently, burying his face into the crook of my shoulder. 

“About us fitting together”, he whispered into my ear. “I don’t want you to think it was just me speaking from my arousal. I’ve thought about it so much these last couple of weeks. They’ve been some of the happiest times of my life, my life that has been filled with confusion and pain and anger.” He rested his head on my shoulder and nuzzled into me. “And believe me, I heard how you shattered inside when Scott called you ugly. I wish I could say it shouldn’t matter what someone like that thinks, but I know it’s easier said than done. I know that he’s far from the first man who’s made you feel worthless. That’s why I deemed it necessary to shower you with praise downstairs, if it seemed I was doing it more so than usual. I always want to assure you that you mean so much to me, and the opinion of a simpleton like that means nothing. He’s wrong. He isn’t worthy of you. I hardly consider myself worthy of you. You deserve someone more human, someone good, someone far better than I can ever be...” 

“I don’t care”, I said, my eyes tearing up as I gripped Michael’s hands below me and settled into his chest. “You’re the one I want. You know that. I still don’t know what I want from life, but if there’s one thing for sure, is that I want  you ”. 

“You’re beautiful. You’re perfect. Remember that always. And I... we just...” he said in a low voice. “I can’t explain it. When I’m inside you... but not just that. When I’m holding you in my arms like this, when we come together... it just feels so... so  indescribable . Nothing else in the world matters except you and I and those moments. Even when I’m just lying next to you... it just all makes sense.” 

“The both of us are broken”, I said back to him, quietly. “I think that’s why we fit together so well”. 

Michael hugged me into his body tighter. 

“I think I’m more than inclined to agree with that”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some random thoughts I had while writing this:
> 
> \- I decided to toss in a headcanon about Michael’s days as a Hawthorne student, since aside from the beginning of the Seven Wonders test, we know he was at that school for at least a month (possibly more) but we never saw any of his classes. When thinking about what kinds of elective courses he could have taken that weren’t directly about teaching magic, I felt it would be a neat idea to mention him reading Shakespeare and watching Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone for a class. 
> 
> \- I just like fluffy moments between them and I liked the idea of them having a conversation while he’s massaging her feet. Something fairly innocent, and in true Michael fashion, he eventually turns it sexual. Because of course he does. 
> 
> \- Scott popped into my head because I wanted to give Michael an excuse to showcase his evil side before we dive right into the Halloween party, and thought what better way for him to be jealous and equally pissed off at someone hitting on and trying to hurt his lover? 
> 
> \- I haven’t outright said this either, but I’m fully of the belief that Michael would not have a “type” when it comes to romantic partners. We all know he wants the emotional connection and someone who cares for him most, and we know from the show itself that he latches himself on to anyone (women especially, oh those mommy issues) who shows him any sort of decency and kindness. I’ve been kind of loose with describing what Barrie looks like because I admittedly haven’t had her fully imagined, but I know she’s very short (which lots of men who like women are into it seems as it is?), and in my head she is someone that Michael sees as beautiful because he can see how different she is compared to most others he has met. He’s more attracted to their connection than anything else, but I think it could be safe to say that his personal standards are different than most anyway. 
> 
> \- The line “The both of us are broken, that’s why we fit together so well” is paraphrased from a lyric by a (now defunct) band called Daytrader, from their song “Heard It In A Song”. I always liked that line and felt it was appropriate in this context.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I kind of rushed this chapter, but it can be summarized as such: Michael takes matters into his own hands.

  **Michael’s POV**

 

Sometime in the middle of the night, Michael was awakened rather violently and abruptly by a hand smacking him in the face. Defenses high, he sat up on the bed and looked for Barrie, realizing that she was the one flailing her arms and kicking next to him. Her eyes were half opened, and before he had a chance to comprehend what was happening, he hears her cry out suddenly. 

“NO! Stop!  Please !” She shouts, and he realizes that she must be dreaming and is shouting in her sleep. 

“Barrie, hey, wake up, it’s okay!” He says to her quietly as he nudges her gently, and her eyes shoot open. She turns and looks at him, her mouth dropped open. 

“Oh, Michael, was I dreaming?” She asks him. “I’m so sorry if I woke you”. 

Hoisting himself up on his side, he reaches his arm around her neck and pulls her into his chest, holding her tightly and rubbing her arms to soothe her. 

“It’s quite alright”, he says quietly. “Don’t worry, my love. You’re safe with me here. I’ve got you. Whatever was frightening you in your dream can’t hurt you anymore”. 

Barrie leans in and buries her face in his chest, and he hears her sniffling. 

“Would you like to talk about it?” He says in a soft voice, stroking her back.

“I was dreaming about what happened today. With Scott”, she says, her voice quivering. Michael looks at her face and wipes the tears that are forming into her eyes with his thumb. “He - he was... he was hurting me, he wouldn’t stop touching me... you were there but you were just standing over him, with your Antichrist face? He was throwing up violently, but still he had his hands in... and then you woke me up”. 

Barrie was sobbing hard now, and Michael continued to hold her close to him. 

“I’m sorry for being intrusive”, he says, “But, I feel like I have to ask. When I walked in today, I saw him grabbing you by your wrists. Which is wrong as it is. But, I just want to know... did he do anything else? Did he... _try_ anything else?” 

She looked up at him with sad eyes, her normally beautiful eyes that were soaked and shiny now. 

In that moment, Michael doesn’t need her to say anything. He sees. He knows what happened. 

“He - he had put his fingers under my dress and between my legs. He started touching me, but then you walked in.” She is sobbing hard now, leaving Michael feeling helpless. All he can do is hug her to his body as close as he can. 

“I barely had a minute to mentally process it”, she continues, her voice full on quivering and her eyes soaked with tears. “When we were under the stairwell, I was okay with everything. The rest of today, I’ve been fine. This might be a delayed reaction of some kind. I mean, he barely touched me. Like he touched my legs and just barely stroked his fingers over my crotch and then you walked in. But still...”

Michael hugs her body tighter now, trying to conceal the fact that rage has already begun to bubble inside of him. He had kept it very cool that afternoon purposely, as he had perfected the art of hurting someone while keeping a straight face and not letting his emotions cloud him. His Father had passed this down to him, his ability to stay and appear placid in every situation, as to add to his manipulative illusion. 

He hadn’t intended on actually killing Scott, not at first. He figured it wasn’t necessary, as he would just be dead with everyone else after the Halloween party anyway. But, now, knowing that the young man had tried to sexually force himself on the woman he loves, he becomes consumed with a desire to make a special exception for this one. 

“I’m so sorry, Barrie”, he says quietly to her, brushing her back and kissing the top of her head. “I wish I had known. You must have been hiding it - I didn’t sense it from you at all”. 

“I think it happened so fast and combined with everything else he was doing, I just didn’t process it really”, she says to him, gripping onto his torso tightly. “I did think you knew though, since you said to him that nobody touches me ‘in that manner’ but you...?” 

Michael sighs, remembering his choice of words, as he had genuinely not realized what else had happened. 

“I meant it in the sense of how he was physically flirting with you”, he says, explaining himself. “I had been in my office and sensed he was putting his arm around you. When I came to you, I saw him gripping your hands and you resisting, but hadn’t realized he’d attempted to touch you elsewhere, in a private area. If I had known, I swear in my Father’s name, he would have been a pile of ash on the floor”. 

Michael takes his free hand and squeezes his bed sheet below him, subtly hiding his anger that has been building. 

Barrie looks up at him and kisses him gently, nuzzling her face close to him. 

“I never told you that I do appreciate you coming to help me”, she says. 

“It’s not needed”, he says in response. “Anyone who tries to harm you in any way, I will avenge for you”. 

“You don’t have to do that. Really”, she says quietly. “I just... I feel so secure with you. I know you’ll protect me. I’ve never had that with anyone before. I’m just so exhausted... tired of people taking advantage of me like that...”

Michael truthfully doesn’t know what else to say that he already hasn’t said. He knows that while he will never truly understand the type of sexual violence she’s endured in her life, he  does understand what it’s like to be taken advantage of. 

So instead, he just lies with her and makes sure she knows she’s cared for. 

“If you’re too upset by what happened today, we don’t have to do anything sexually if you feel you can’t”, he says to her quietly, and truly means it. “Take all the time you need to recover.” 

“I should be okay, I think”, she says back to him, her hand brushing up and down his chest as she clutches his warm body tightly. “I mean, I was this afternoon right after it happened, and earlier of course...” 

Michael smirks to himself, thinking of their intense love making session that had occurred and lasted for three hours before they went to bed that evening.

“But...” she continues. “Michael, thank you. I really do appreciate that”. 

“Just rest, my love”, Michael says in response. “I’ll hold you until you fall asleep.”

He leans down and kisses her forehead, whispering his assurance that he loves her. Barrie eventually falls asleep; when she does, Michael carefully unwraps himself from her body as to not rouse her, covers her with the blanket and climbs off the bed. With a circular movement of his hand, he is fully dressed, eyeshadow fixed, and hair no longer unkept - he’s decided to forgo sleep for now, and take matters into his own hands. 

He disappears from his room, leaving Barrie sleeping soundly in his bed, and transmutates to his office downstairs, where he reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out his stack of Outpost occupant files. He had them arranged alphabetically by last name and separated into Greys, Purples and Administration (the sole exception being Barrie’s file, which he had taken for their attempted second interview and he never put back. He keeps it in his room at all times now). So, he easily finds the one he knows wants at the beginning of the Greys. It’s right there in the first couple of files, the name he’s looking for: 

 

_Anderson, Scott_

* * *

 

Michael sits at his desk and opens the folder, scanning his eyes over Scott’s details and the man’s photograph attached to the top with a paper clip: 

 

Name: _Scott Edward Anderson_

DOB: July 18th, 1990 (aged 28 at time of arrival in Outpost 3) 

Birthplace: Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 180 pounds 

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Black 

Ethnicity: Caucasian/White 

 

The rest of the file is standard, much like the other residents’ files. Medical and dental records. Employment history. Schooling history. Time and location where members of the Cooperative had taken him on the day the bombs fell, and placed him as a Grey. Michael had already skimmed most of the file prior to Scott’s interview the previous week, though much like his others, he hadn’t needed to fully immerse himself in it, merely using his clairvoyance and natural sense of intuition to pick out the dark places inside each of his interview subjects. Scott’s had been fairly uninteresting, except for the conversation they had where he had managed to get out of him that he had briefly done some jail time, but for whatever the reason, Michael had not noticed or sensed what he had been in for. 

He flipped through the papers inside Scott’s file until he found it, buried towards the back - his police records. 

_2014 - Restraining order filed by former co-worker. Jail time served for ten days, out on bail._

_Charges : Stalking, indecent exposure, unwanted sexual misconduct _

 

His mugshot is scanned onto the same paper.

Closing the folder and tucking it inside his velvet jacket, he transmutates back upstairs and appears in Scott’s bedroom at the foot of his bed. Scott is lying on his stomach fast asleep; Michael walks over slowly, yanks the covers off him and pulls his leg to wake him, which the young man does and sits up with a jolt. 

“What the, what time is it?” He says groggily. He prys his eyes open, and his mouth drops as he sees Michael standing over him.

“What - Langdon? What in the hell are you doing here?!” He asks, stretching and yawning. 

“Hello, Scott”, Michael says calmly. “We have some things to discuss”. 

“Now?” Scott asks, rubbing his eyes. 

Michael stares him down, his demeanor still calm, his blue eyes cold. 

“Yes. Now”. 

* * *

 

 

After a few minutes of a cold stare down and allowing Scott to put on a pair of black sweatpants and a white tank top, Michael pulls out the chair from the desk in the corner of the room and seats himself in front of the bed, crossing his legs. Scott sits on the edge of his bed, his hands in his lap and fingers tapping nervously against his knees. 

Michael can sense his confusion.

“I thought we could expand on our interview a bit more, if you don’t mind”, he says. 

“This couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” Scott asks with a raised eyebrow.

“No”, Michael laughs. “I was informed most of the day will be spent preparing for this Halloween shindig Ms. Venable is throwing. It’s my understanding that the Greys will be extra busy with the preparations, and I wouldn’t want to pull any of you away from your duties”.

“Okay, fine, sure. I guess?” Scott shrugs. “What else do you want to know?” 

“You spoke of having done jail time in the past last week”, Michael says flatly, getting straight to the point. “Were you aware that your police records, including the sexual misconduct charges filed against you by your former co-worker, were all included in your Outpost file?” 

Scott nodded. “I kinda assumed they would be”, he says. “You all seemed to have everything on us anyway, just figured it was there too. I figured that’s also how you knew I had been in jail”. 

“Yes and no”, Michael says. “Truth of the matter is, I had only skimmed through it and saw that, but did not see what for. You interestingly chose not to tell me why, and I recall being rather busy with interviews that day. I may have changed the subject and skipped over it”. 

“Yeah, you did”, Scott replies. “I was waiting for you to bring it up and you never did...”

“In hindsight, I probably should have”, Michael says. He thinks to himself that with Scott’s background, much like he had told Dinah Stevens during her interview, he was exactly the kind of soul he was looking for to build his new world. He had considered having Scott become one of his followers due to the jail time, and under normal circumstances, his reasons for it would be what Michael considers perfect. But his priorities have changed, and wanting to avenge Barrie is now higher on his list, even if that means losing a possible follower. 

“So... what do you want to know?” Scott asks, a curious smile forming on his face. 

“Tell me about this supposed ‘sexual misconduct’ you were accused and charged for”, Michael says. 

Scott takes a deep breath and runs his fingers through his hair. 

“Okay, so I was working at a restaurant in Hollywood as a busboy, right? I worked there not too long, like four months maybe, in 2014. Job was okay, pay could have been better, but it was enough to get by. So, one day they hired this girl Lauren as a hostess. Man, she was gorgeous - blond hair, fuckin’ killer body, she had this amazing rack and such a great ass...” 

Michael sits and rolls his eyes, staring at Scott with a disgruntled look.

Scott takes the hint and gets on with it. 

“So anyway, I started talking to her and ask if she’s single, right? Turns out she is, but she just got out of a long term relationship and doesn’t want anything serious, so I tell her that’s totally fine cause that’s what I want as well. She gives me her number, I start texting her. Just small talk. After a couple days, I text her one day after work and ask her out. She says I seem nice and all but she would rather get to know me more first. I was kind of annoyed, but whatever. The next day at work she comes in and is wearing this short skirt and a low cut top, and I got so fucking horny ‘cause I couldn’t stop staring at her tits right? I tried but every time she talked to me they were right there in my face. She had to be teasing me, I knew she had to be. So I started texting her throughout the day on the down low. Tell her stuff like ‘Stop teasing me’. She insists she isn’t and just felt like dressing like that. Hah, yeah, right! I knew she wanted me. During our lunch break, she kept leaning over in the break room and showing her cleavage, well I suddenly get a fucking hard on right there! And I’m at work! So I go hide into a storage closet to rub one out, and decide to snap a pic and sent it to her being all ‘I know you’re doing that for me so I’m all in, come to the closet’. I send it to her. She doesn’t respond and leaves me on read. I get pissed, but I jerk off and finish in the closet and then go back to work. I go to say hey to her, she gives me a dirty look. Then she pulls me aside later and says ‘Don’t ever do that again or I’ll report you to the boss!’ So, like, I tell her I know she’s teasing me, and I reach down and grab her ass... and she fuckin’ slaps me right there!” 

Scott takes another breath as Michael looks down, letting him finish the story. 

“That night, I get a call from our manager at the restaurant who tells me we have to have a meeting the next day to discuss whether or not I’m allowed to still work there. Bitch reported me, of course. I look up her address on Google and sure enough it’s there, cause her last name was super uncommon. I drive to 7-Eleven, pick up a 40 and down the whole thing while I sat outside her apartment and waited for her to come home. Finally after like 2 hours, I text her and tell her ‘hey do you live at this address cause I’m waiting outside your apartment, we gotta talk’. She calls me, and screams at me on the phone for like ten minutes, saying if I don’t leave her building she’s gonna call the cops. I say fuck it and leave, I go home, got lucky I didn’t get a DUI that night. Next day at work, I’m called into the manager and owner’s office. Lauren’s there and tells them, shows them her phone and my fuckin’ dick and everything... they grab my phone and of course I’m an idiot and didn’t delete the thing or the outgoing text. So they fire me. As I’m packing my shit out of my locker, Lauren walks past in the hall and I go outside and grab her, telling her I just wanted some of her pussy, that she ain’t all that special anyway, grab her ass again and this time her tits too, next thing I know she yells, calls the manager who calls the cops on me. I’m taken to the police station. Spent ten days in jail until my brother and my parents got the money together to bail me out. They hand me restraining order papers from Lauren’s lawyer. I ended up getting a new job and had to leave that restaurant off my resume. I dunno how I got lucky, my dad having an in with LAPD through having an old girlfriend on the force probably...” 

“I’ve heard enough”, Michael says calmly, cutting him off. “Do you regret any of this?”

Scott shrugs. “I regret sending the dick pic. I judged that one pretty poorly I guess. And I’m willing to admit Googling her address and showing up buzzed was probably not the best idea, since it cost me my job and all.” 

“Just the job?” Michael asks. “Did you care about Lauren and what harm you may have caused her?” 

“Eh”, Scott replies with a smirk. “I mean, I did like her at first. I wouldn’t have asked her out if I didn’t. She was hot.” 

“Did you like anything about her that wasn’t physical?” Michael asks. 

Scott scratches his chin and then shrugs. “Seemed nice enough, I guess. But it doesn’t matter. Once she turned me down, she became useless”. 

“I see”, Michael says. “She was useless, except to you she was still worth the effort to try and sleep with?”

“I already told you, she was _hot!_ ”, Scott says, emphasizing the last word. 

“Are you incapable of finding a woman physically attractive and  not want to fuck them?” 

Scott shrugs again, and looks at Michael as if he was just asked to explain the theory of relativity. 

“I’ve heard quite enough”, Michael says. “At least about your background. Now, I have some questions for you about your fellow Grey. Miss Barrie Cohen. You do remember our interaction this afternoon, correct?”

“You told me to stay away from her, and honestly, I don’t remember much else”, Scott replies. “I remember talking to her and asking her to be my date to the party and her saying no, then the next thing I knew, I was on the floor with a sore throat and you were telling me to leave her alone.”

Michael grins wickedly, satisfied that the memory wiping spell he placed on Scott to erase when Michael had knocked him against the wall and choked him worked. 

“What’s so special about her, anyway?” Scott asked.

“I could ask you the same thing”, Michael says, placing his fingers under his chin. “I am aware that you have hardly had any interaction with Miss Cohen during your time here in the Outpost. This seems a bit out of nowhere, wouldn’t you think?”

“I’ve just been so fucking _bored_ since we got here!” Scott exclaims. “And no way I could go without getting laid. Ms. Venable’s rule may be strict, but it made things so easy for me. Every Grey chick here that I’ve banged was so horny, they were practically begging for me. It eventually became a game to see if I could bag them all, you know? I had tried initially for every woman in the Outpost, except for Evie, ‘cause that’s gross, but settled for all the Greys when I couldn’t get Emily or Coco. I even tried for Dinah one time; turns out she’s super Christian though, so that was a bust...”

Michael smirks to himself, thinking about the ruse Dinah has played for the entire Outpost. 

“Just kinda figured this party could be a good way to get either Barrie or Mallory in my room after”, Scott continues. “At this point, I’m so close I can’t stop”. 

“I believe I overheard you say to Barrie that you don’t even find her attractive”, Michael says. “May I ask why you are attempting to bed her, if that’s the case?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that”, Scott says. “I don’t actually think she’s ugly. She’s pretty cute. Short women are always real cute. But what I don’t like is being told no. Especially when she hasn’t gotten laid in a year and a half like almost everyone else. I know for a fact she isn’t sleeping with any dude here”. 

Michael smirks again and chuckles to himself, and doesn’t let Scott finish his train of thought. 

“So that’s why you tried to touch her between her legs, even though you know she didn’t want it?” Michael asks straight out. 

Scott looks taken aback. 

“How - how did you know?” He asks. “Also. She does want it. She just doesn’t know it yet”.

“So, let me see if I have this clear”, Michael says, rising from his chair and walking over to the bed. He stands over Scott and looks down at him, staying as calm as possible as he has learned to do. 

“You wanted to insult her, even if you don’t really feel that way, to satisfy your own bruised ego? Your pathetic macho pride?” Michael says. “You grew up entitled. Never having heard the word ‘no’, from anyone. Having your rich parents hand you everything on a silver platter, until you had to work menial service jobs when they cut off your trust fund. No wonder you think the world owes you. Your father gave you the sex talk as a teenager and told you that a ‘no’ is never a definite answer, and that women always secretly like it. Is that right?” 

Scott looks at him as if he’s seen a ghost. 

“What... how... how did you know?” He stammers. 

“When your parents bailed you out, your father took you aside didn’t he? Told you that next time, and I quote, ‘don’t do anything stupid and don’t get caught’?” 

Scott gulps. Michael can sense the man is getting scared now. 

“Y-Yes, sir”, he says. “He’s the one who told me to always insult the shit out of a woman if they reject you, because then you’ll hurt their ego too rather than boost it, and then once they think you don’t want them is when they’ll come crawling to you”.

“How often has that worked for you?” Michael asks matter of factly. 

“Usually I don’t need to resort to that”, Scott replies. “Usually I always get what I want. I think I’m good looking enough. Most girls don’t reject me, or they throw themselves at me.” 

Michael laughs. He knows that isn’t true, and decides to go straight to the heart of the matter. He already knows Scott’s biggest dirty secret, and has been waiting for the right opportunity to mention it during the entirety of this conversation. 

“How many women have you drugged their drinks at bars now?” He asks. 

Scott suddenly stands up from the bed with a jolt. “What the  _fuck_ ?! How - how did you know about that? I’ve only done it three times and I never got caught... I don’t think it’s even in my police record!”

“It’s not. I checked”, Michael says. “Well, I must say, Scott. You must have hidden all of this in your head very deeply, as I didn’t pick up on any of it during our interview last week”.

“I don’t know how you even know any of this, Langdon!”, Scott says, his voice raising now. “This is fucking creepy. I think you should get out now.”

Michael circles around the young man with black hair, like a lion stalking a wounded gazelle. 

He flashes his white demonic face, and Scott gasps as he falls back on his bed. 

“Jesus  _fucking_ Christ!” Scott shouts, cowering on his bed. 

“Not quite”, Michael says, and with a motion of his hand, Scott Anderson is held down by an unseen force, and his neck is fully crushed. His lifeless body falls back onto the bed, and Michael lights both his body and soul on fire as his face returns to its human form and he transmutates back to his room. There’s a giant hole in the mattress that has gone right through the bed frame, and Scott Anderson is left as merely a pile of ash on the floor of his bedroom, as Michael promised.

 

Back in his room, Michael undresses and climbs back into bed with Barrie. She stirs and curls into his body in a half asleep state. 

“Where did you go?” She asks sleepily. 

“Shhh, it’s alright”, Michael says, kissing her forehead once again. “I had to go take care of something. Don’t worry, my love. Scott will not bother you ever again”. 

“I know”, she replies, still groggy. “And thank you again. I love you”. 

“I love you too”, Michael says. “And I will always do anything for you. Even kill.”

Barrie laughs silently as she falls back to sleep.

 

And Michael falls asleep as well, with a self-satisfied grin on his face. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a stroke of inspiration and banged out another chapter! 
> 
> It’s basically filler, but it gave me an opportunity to finally sneak in a couple of ideas I’ve had written down in my phone’s notes app for a while now but haven’t had a chance to use in this story. 
> 
> In short - Barrie opens up to Michael and they share a deeply personal, intimate moment and experience. And then everything goes to shit.

** Michael’s POV **

 

It’s early morning when they awake, and Michael still senses Barrie’s uncomfortable state and thoughts even as she sleeps next to him. Deciding to do something else for her to take her edge off, he uses his magic to dress himself once again and transmutates back downstairs, this time to Ms. Venable’s office. 

He knocks on the door and she opens it, also prepared for the day ahead. She usually wakes up early. 

“May I help you, Mr. Langdon?” She asks with a curious tone in her voice. “It’s rather early. I don’t think the Greys are even in the kitchen preparing for breakfast yet”. 

“If it’s okay with you, Ms. Venable”, Michael says, his hands behind his back, standing straight as possible. “I would like to request that Barrie Cohen have a half day on her duties. I realize you have preparation for the Halloween party this evening, so I simply wish to allow her to have the morning off. She can return to her shift for lunch.” 

Ms. Venable looks at him with a stern smile. He can hear very well that she’s suspecting something. 

“Might I ask why?” She asks, cocking her head. “You seem to have been requesting her quite a bit these last couple of weeks. Asking for her help, requesting time off? Should I be concerned?”

Michael smirks. “I do admit, I have taken a bit of a liking to her since her interview”, he says innocently. “We’ve become rather friendly. She was complaining her back hurt her when she came to help me yesterday. I think considering all the physical preparation she will be helping with, perhaps it’s best to have her rest before attending to it.”

To say what occurs next would be a stare down would be the understatement of the century. Ms. Venable is still bitter about Michael humiliating her, making her be vulnerable and open up to him, only to pour salt on her wounds, in addition to the fact that she is envious that he has become the posted authority since his arrival. 

Nonetheless, she grants his request. 

“Fine”, she says. “She has until 2pm after lunch. Then she must report downstairs for the normal afternoon shift, including dinner at 6. All the Greys will be on preparation in the library immediately following dinner. She can take her time to get ready after that, and we will convene promptly at 9pm in the library.” 

Ms. Venable pauses, and studies Michael’s face. 

“Are you sure we cannot convince you to join us this evening?” She inquires. 

Michael shakes his head. “No”, he quietly replies. “I am going to be far too busy in my room with selections for the Sanctuary. I’m sure you will all have a wonderful time”. 

They glance at each other with uneasy eyes before Ms. Venable closes the door, and Michael transmutates back to his room. 

 

Still dressed, he lays in bed next to Barrie and watches her sleep, gently caressing her hair. He tries not to wake her, though she stirs anyway and opens her eyes. 

“What time is it?” She asks sleepily.

“A little past 8am”, Michael says, brushing a wild strand of her bed hair out of her face. 

“ _Shit_!” Barrie exclaims, sitting up with a jolt. “I overslept... why didn’t you wake me?!” 

“Don’t worry, I let you sleep in. I have a surprise for you”, Michael replies, gently tugging on her arm to pull her back down on the bed with him. “I know you had a rough night and you have a hectic day and evening ahead of you. I went and spoke with Ms. Venable and got her to give you the morning off until 2pm”.

“Michael, you didn’t have to do that”, she says as she leans forward and gives him a peck on the lips. “I mean, that was very sweet of you, but...”

“Hush”, he interrupts, putting his finger to her lips. “You were very upset last night and I know your mornings get thrown off and triggers your anxiety when you don’t sleep well. Combined with the dream you had. What would you say to a morning of being fully pampered and taken care of?”

Barrie chuckles and raises an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?” She says. 

“Not in the least”, Michael replies. “Come, my love. Let me draw you a bath”. 

Barrie lets out a full blown laugh now. “Okay, now I _know_ you're  kidding”, she says with a smile. 

Michael merely grins in response, gets off the bed, and approaches his bathroom. Once inside, he sets out a large bath towel and washcloth and puts them on an ottoman. Unlike the bathroom adjacent to his office downstairs, his bedroom has both a standup shower and a claw foot bathtub in the corner of the room, which he has never used. He wasn’t aware the dorm rooms, when Outpost 3 was Hawthorne, even had bathtubs; when Ms. Venable assigned him this particular room upon his arrival a couple of weeks earlier, he presumed that it was a master bedroom, and likely once belonged to one of his professors. He figured now was as good a time as any to make use of the tub, for once. 

He kneels next to the tub and turns the faucet on, placing his hand under the running water to check the temperature. He turns his head as he hears Barrie come in behind him. 

“I can provide bubbles too, if you wish”, he says to her, giving her a half smile. 

She stands there and is clearly taken aback. 

“I... didn’t think you were serious about this”, she says. “First a foot massage, and now this? Aren’t you supposed to be the Antichrist?”

“What?” Michael asks innocently, as he stands up and approaches her. “My Father being Satan means I can’t do nice things for someone I love?” 

She shrugs as he places his hands on her waist, pulling her in towards him to kiss her forehead. “You just constantly surprise me”, she says to him, brushing her hands along his forearms. 

“I would hope you mean that in a positive way”, he responds. “Now, into the tub with you!” 

She rolls her eyes at him and smiles as he reaches down and pulls her T-shirt over her head, taking a moment to glance at her bare breasts, but breaking his momentary distraction to go back to the task at hand. Barrie slides her panties off and kicks them aside, as Michael holds her hand and escorts her to the tub, allowing her to step in. She sits and submerges the lower half of her body in the warm water, as Michael kneels beside the tub, wets the washcloth and reaches for the soap bar in the corner. He lathers some onto the cloth and begins running it down her back and neck. 

“You sure you don’t want bubbles?” Michael asks as he works the washcloth over her pale skin. “I don’t think we have any, but that’s what magic is for”. 

“Not necessary, but thank you anyway”, Barrie replies. “I’m honestly amazed that you’re doing this. You really are something else, Michael. You aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met”. 

“I would certainly hope not”, he replies, wetting the cloth again and brushing it down her small arms. He leans forward and kisses her, a soft peck at first that soon turns into a deep one, so deep that Michael drops the cloth into the water and wraps his arms around her. Her hands entangle themselves in his long hair as his lips trail down to her neck to suckle at the skin in his favorite spots, where he knows she likes. She hums quietly in pleasure, and Michael brushes his fingers down her collarbones, past her sternum and glides themselves over her breasts. 

It’s then that Barrie does something unexpected - she suddenly pushes Michael away from her and bursts into tears. 

His jaw drops and his eyes fall. 

“Did I do something wrong, my love?” He asks, but as soon as he does, he knows exactly what’s happening and it has nothing to do with him. It, unfortunately, has everything to do with Barrie experiencing flashbacks of Scott touching her the previous day against her will. 

Michael doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t quite understand how the previous evening and afternoon, they had sex more than once and everything was normal. But then he remembers her nightmare, and realizes that must have triggered something in her, some kind of natural fight or flight response. 

He doesn’t fully understand. But, he’s still sympathetic and doesn’t want her to feel uncomfortable in any way. 

“I’m sorry, Michael”, she sobs, and all he can do is reach his hand out to her. 

“Please, Barrie”, he says calmly. “It’s entirely your call. Take my hand and put it wherever you want. Or not at all. I can leave you alone for a while if you wish”. 

She looks at him, tears falling from her eyes. 

“I think I want to finish my bath alone”, she says. “I’m sorry to fuck up your plans”. 

“No. Trust me, you’ve done nothing wrong”, Michael says. He stands up and approaches the door. “Take as much time as you need”.

He closes the door and sits at his computer, beginning to type away and doesn’t think about anything at all. Barrie eventually emerges from his bathroom, the bath towel wrapped over her head and back in her T-shirt and panties. 

“Feel any better?” Michael asks from behind his laptop screen.

“Somewhat”, she says, and he sees her eyes are red from crying. 

“I would like to do something for you”, Michael says. “I don’t know what, but  _something_ . Even if that means not touching you. I respect your wishes”.

“Oh, Michael, no”, she says, and walks up and throws her arms around his neck. He presses his head against hers and places his hands on her waist again. 

“I really do understand if you don’t want me to touch you for a while”, Michael says to her.

Barrie looks at him and smiles gently, kissing him again. 

“That is absolutely the _exact_ opposite of what I want”, she says quietly. “Will you just hold me for now?”

“Absolutely”, Michael says. “You can put your uniform on if you like...”

“Oh, stop!” She says, pulling away from him and laying down on the bed, throwing the towel off her damp hair. Michael takes his shoes off and lies next to her, wrapping his long arms around her small body and allowing her to lay her head on his chest. 

“You smell nice”, he says to her as he brushes his hand down towards the small of her back. 

“Probably because I just got out of the bath that you drew for me!” She says teasingly as she laces her fingers through his hand that isn’t holding her. 

Michael laughs.

“I’m so sorry that terrible man hurt you”, he says to her. “I’m so sorry any of them hurt you. I really don’t know if I will ever truly understand what you’ve been through, even though I see it all. I see your memories. I see now how Scott touched you before I showed up. I’ve seen everything that happened when you were younger. You haven’t just told me - I have seen it all.” 

Barrie leans into him further and tears begin to stream down her cheeks. He embraces her again and they lie together for a while, not speaking, before Barrie looks up at Michael. 

He raises an eyebrow and is curious now. He can sense her thoughts are jumbled and she is all over the place.

She sits up and climbs on top of his chest. 

“What are you doing?” He asks curiously, watching in surprise as she peels her T-shirt off and reveals her breasts to him.

She reaches down and picks up one of his hands, placing it on her ribs. She picks up his other hand and places it atop of her left breast. 

Michael has felt her breasts and bare skin so many times now. It hasn’t lost its appeal, but something feels different at this moment. Something more than their average sexual moments. Something deeper... more fiercely intimate. He senses how she’s feeling and becomes suddenly overwhelmed himself when he sees what she’s thinking. 

She takes a deep breath and wraps the palm of her hand on the back of his that is holding her breast. 

“I - I don’t want anyone touching me like this, ever again”, she says finally, and she’s crying harder now. “Except... except  _you._  Only you. I’m not sure what this is, but I’m fully giving my body to you, Michael. I already have. And I still am. It’s yours.”

Michael looks up at her with widened eyes. 

“Your body is your own, my love”, he says. “It doesn’t truthfully belong to me. I know I can be a bit possessive of you...”

“You think?” Barrie says with a small laugh. Michael smiles at her attempt to lighten the mood a bit, a mood that is deeply serious and rooted in both physical and emotional intimacy. 

“I don’t mean it literally”, she says, lowering her hands down Michael’s still clothed torso. He merely brushes his fingers lightly along her back and her sides. His own eyes are tearing up now - he knows what she truly is saying. 

She is saying that she trusts him with her whole life. Her entire being. 

“I really do love you”, he says to her, not knowing what else to say. “I am so, so in love with you”. 

Michael is close to telling her about the protection spell he placed on her the other night, the spell that he asked his Father to bind some of her blood to him. The blood that he licked off her foot. He wants to tell her that she now shares his supernatural healing abilities with him, although it’s only meant for physical healing and defying death (and not for her own blisters, clearly). Emotional healing is something else entirely, that neither Michael or the Devil himself can help fix. That’s something Barrie has to do herself. 

But Michael can see that what she’s doing right now is a breakthrough for her. Much like when she sucked his cock the other week and faced her specific trauma. A step towards healing. 

She trusts him with her heart. Her life. Michael can see that looking up at her, and has never felt anything like it.

Consumed with feelings of love and other intense emotions he still doesn’t quite understand, he sits up and consumes her mouth in another loving kiss as his hands roam her naked torso. Pulling away from the kiss, he wraps his arms around her and buries his face between her breasts, planting gentle kisses on the sides of each. It’s not meant to be sexual, the way he kisses them (not yet, at least). It’s meant to be equally loving. She holds his head against her chest tightly. He rests his head on her breasts, and listens carefully to her beating heart.

“I love you so much, Michael”, she says quietly. 

After a few minutes of holding his head, her hands begin to undo the buttons on Michael’s shirt.

“Are you sure?” He says, and he isn’t so sure himself, if he’s being honest. “We don’t have to”. 

“No, we don’t”, she says. “But - I want to”. 

She takes one of his hands and slides two of his fingers into the waistband of her panties. Michael caresses her lower lips inside the cotton fabric, smiling wide when he sees how wet she already is as he begins to touch her, when there’s a loud knock on his bedroom door. 

They both laugh in exasperation, asgetting interrupted just as things are heating up between them has become something of a trend by now, considering how frequently it’s happened. 

“ _Yes_ ?” Michael says loudly, repeating the same annoyed sentiment as he had on his first day in the Outpost, when Ms. Mead had interrupted his interrogation with Ms. Venable. His hand is still inside Barrie’s panties, as Michael is still determined to pleasure her in some way. He’s growing impatient. 

“Sorry to intrude, Mr. Langdon”, Mallory’s voice echoes from the other side of the door. “Is Barrie here? I need to talk to her. It’s important”. 

Barrie sighs and crawls off of Michael, who groans and begrudgingly releases his fingers. She puts her shirt back on and wraps the bath towel around her waist as she goes to the door and exchanges a few words with Mallory outside. She comes back inside and shuts the door finally, turns and looks at Michael. 

Her previous look of intense love has shifted now, and to say she’s pissed off would also be an understatement. 

“Is something wrong?” He asks her innocently, even though he knows already what Mallory has told her. 

Barrie approaches him and scowls. 

“Scott is apparently missing”, she says. “Mallory just told me there’s a mysterious hole in the middle of his bed, what looks like his clothes in the middle of this hole, and there’s what looks like black ash on the floor?” 

She walks over to the side of the bed. 

“Michael”, she says calmly, even though he knows her anger is building. “What - did - you -  _do_?” She drags each word out slowly. 

“Did you kill Scott?”

“Of course I did”, he replies smugly. “Would you expect anything less from me? I did it for you”. 

Barrie then reaches her hand out and slaps Michael hard across the face, before slipping into her Grey uniform over her shirt and haphazardly puts her shoes on. 

“Don’t follow me, you asshole!” She shouts at him and opens the door, slamming it as she leaves his room. 

Michael sinks back onto his bed and runs his palms over his face. The pain on his cheek from Barrie slapping him has already subsided, but the sudden incident has left his mind spinning even more than it was earlier.

He doesn’t know what else to do, except shout the word “ _FUCK_!” at the top of his lungs.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Started brainstorming ideas for the next chapter and got carried away. 
> 
> The following chapters are going to finally deal with the party, the aftermath, and the witches, but seeing how Barrie’s trauma and her road to healing is just as an important part of this story, I wanted to finish what I started in the last chapter about her breakthrough. Keeping it in Michael’s point of view, as I feel like it’s more impactful to see this happening to her through his eyes. Also, kind of shows their dynamic more - I don’t think they have the healthiest relationship, but that’s not the point. Or maybe they do? Who knows.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, the smut in here is probably the dirtiest thing I’ve ever written, for this fic or anything else, and it probably is crap. No regrets.
> 
> This is equally silly, but I feel like I should close this story once it reaches 666 views, just for the irony of it. I won’t, but it’s fun to think about.

**Michael’s** **POV**  

 

A couple of hours passed since Barrie left his room. Michael sensed her back in hers, on the opposite side of the Outpost, but as much as it pained him to do so, he obeyed her wishes to not follow her.

He laid on his bed with his hands on his chest, staring up at the ceiling. He tried hard to fight back the tears in his eyes, but it wasn’t working too well. 

He thought to himself that he could just transmutate to her room, and discuss things with her. He wanted to assure her that he killed Scott for her, because of what he did to her. He sensed her confusion too, and he wished more than anything that he could go to her and continue to hold her as he had been in the first place. He didn’t care anymore that they had been interrupted as things were moving in a sexy direction; the only thing he wanted right now in terms of physical affection was to wrap his arms around her small torso and kiss her. He wanted to feel her skin against his and to smell her. Looking down at the floor, his eyes glance over to the pile of her laundry, and he considers taking one of her shirts and sniffing it again, like it’s some kind of strange comfort object. 

He can’t even bring himself to open his laptop. That’s how upset he is. Every part of his room, he sees her in somehow. He hears her voice speaking in his head on repeat. He turns over on his side and shuts his eyes tight, clutching his pillow and sobbing into it. Feeling completely defeated, and partially angry at himself for allowing this whole situation to distract from his destiny. 

He then remembers that the apples are going to make an appearance at the party this evening, and he has every intention of going to remind her not to eat them. 

Struggling to move, he dozes off out of emotional exhaustion until he’s awakened by another loud knock on his door. 

“What is it now?” He asks impatiently. But his mood shifts in an instant when he realizes who’s on the other side. 

“Michael? It’s me. Please let me in”. 

He jumps from his bed and runs to his bedroom door, turning the doorknob and his eyes widening as he sees Barrie in the door frame. 

Standing there looking at her, he realizes that neither of them know what to say. 

“I - they’re not expecting me until later so, Mallory told me to not come on my shift now”, she says quietly. “Besides - my toothbrush and most of my stuff is in here anyway, so...” She looks down at her feet and Michael can tell she’s confused and feeling awkward. 

“I’m sorry”, he manages to squeak out. “I don’t know what else to say. I wanted - I wanted to avenge you. Knowing that Scott tried to hurt you and touch you infuriated me”. 

She looks up at him with soft eyes, and enters the room as Michael closes the door behind them. 

He’s not sure what to expect now, so he’s partially surprised when she lunges forward and throws her arms around his body. He embraces her back and hugs her tightly. 

“I’m sorry too”, she says into his chest. “I’m so sorry that I slapped you. I just - you can’t do that. Please. I’m so torn. I do love that you wanted to get revenge on my behalf, and yeah, Scott was a dick, but I didn’t want him dead”. 

Michael doesn’t know how to respond, so he stands there brushing his hands along her back and kisses the top of her head. He realizes she doesn’t know the extent of Scott's background, but he won’t tell her. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.

“I just wanted to help you”, he says honestly. 

“I’m overwhelmed, but also somewhat astounded”, she says below him, looking up and standing on her tiptoes, which Michael instead leans his face down and kisses her slowly and passionately. 

“Astounded by what?” He whispers to her as he pulls his lips away from the kiss. 

Her eyes are wet and he presses his forehead to hers, holding her face in his palms. 

“I don’t want you killing anyone”, she says. “But - I - I also can’t believe you did that for me. Nobody ever has done anything like that. I don’t - I don’t deserve any of it. I’m so used to shitty people like Scott treating me like that... for so long I’ve felt like I was destined to have just people wanting me for their own personal gain. I’m nothing.”

“Shhh”, Michael shushes her, kissing her forehead again as well as her lips and both cheeks, as he gently brushes his thumbs behind her ears. “What did I tell you that first day we met about that being the furthest thing from the truth? I feel that way even more now than you could possibly imagine”.

“Can I be honest with you?” She says, and Michael wipes away the tears forming on her face. “I don’t want to be. I know you don’t want me to be... but... I - I’m somewhat afraid of you, Michael. And what you’re capable of. I don’t want that to offend you...”

“Oh, none taken at all, Barrie, please don’t think that”, he says in response. “I can sense your fears about me. But - I also have to wonder myself”. 

Michael reaches down and holds her hand in his. 

“What are you afraid of, exactly?” He asks. It seems like a simple question, but is more layered than one might think. 

He places his hand under her chin and tilts her head up to make eye contact with him. 

“Are you afraid of  _me_? My abilities? My destiny? My Father? Or... are you afraid of something else? Of trusting someone? Of loving someone? Of someone loving _you_? Sometimes I don’t know where one ends, and one begins with you”. 

She doesn’t say anything, but tears stream down her cheeks faster. Michael takes a step back, as he may have just reached down deep enough to strike gold in her. He senses that he finally hit what ultimately may be her biggest fear. He hadn’t intended to do that so directly, but he has sensed it all along with her. 

“Michael”, she says quietly. “I love you. I told you before - I trust you with my heart. My life. I do worry you’ll hurt me...”

“I assure you, darling”, he says in a soft voice. “I won’t. Ever.” 

She looks at her feet again, and Michael doesn’t even need to be a clairvoyant to know that she also means emotionally hurt. Not just physical. 

“No more killing people”, she says. “Can you promise me that?”

Michael doesn’t respond, but nods anyway. He can already sense that later this evening, she’s not going to be happy with the outcome. But she came back now, and he can’t bring himself to tell her anything else. 

“I don’t want to be afraid”, Barrie says. “I want - I want _you_. I want to be able to love you”. 

“You can. You do”, he says, “I know you have it in you. You’re so much stronger than you think you are. I believe in you.” 

Barrie looks up at him and unexpectedly pushes him gently so his back is against the edge of his bed. She pushes him down slowly so he sits, and situates herself on his lap. The gap between them closes as their mouths meet, sharing another deep kiss. Something is different though - instead of allowing Michael to take the lead as he usually does, she releases his lips and sucks hard on his neck, her hands fumbling with the buttons on his shirt as he reaches around her back to unzip her uniform.

In no time at all, Michael’s shirt is off and Barrie is in her bra and panties in front of him, reaching up and removing the hair ties to let her brown hair fall down from the bun. Not even bothering to unclasp her bra, Michael’s fingers find themselves inside the cups as he pulls one of her breasts out and takes the nipple into his mouth, his other hand finally reaching around back to unclip it and yanks it off her body in a fast motion. He spends a considerable amount of time on her breasts and suckling at her sensitive nipples, having wanted to do that earlier before they were interrupted by Mallory, but he also didn’t want to ruin the intense moment they were having. He kisses down her stomach and slides two fingers into her panties as he pulls them off, also continuing what he was doing before by feeling around her already wet entrance. 

She hovers over him and unzips him as his fingers slide in and out of her, her breathing getting heavy, pushing his pants down his thighs and running both her palms over his bulge. Michael is thrown slightly off guard by this, and even more so when he feels her yanking his underwear down off his legs to reveal his already erect cock.

“What are you doing?” He asks curiously. Her mind is racing again, and he can’t fully read her for once.

She doesn’t reply, and in a strange twist, she’s off his lap and on her knees in front of him. 

Michael bites his lip when he finally senses what she’s doing. Her small hands grip around his length and she pumps her fist slowly, like he showed her how to do, and she licks her lips. 

“I want to take back some fucking _control_ ”, she says to him finally. “I don’t want to be scared anymore. I want this. I want you. I don’t want to be afraid of loving you”.

Michael’s head is spinning. He knows she’s having another breakthrough, in her own way. He knows what she wants right now. He can sense that she doesn’t want to fully be the dominant one - she can’t, its just not in her nature - but, right now, she wants some balance of power. 

He’s encouraged her to be the one in control, he’s been her biggest cheerleader. He’s in awe at her confidence in this moment. Her meekness, her natural anxious state, until this point, Michael has always found it adorable in her. But he knows she has had this buried in her. He’s seen it peeking out many times. He sees in her everything she doesn’t see in herself. 

When she lets herself go like this, he loves it more than he can possibly imagine. 

“Tell me”, he says, wanting to hear it come from her first. Regardless of how aroused he is, and how utterly sexy he finds her in this moment- he won’t proceed until she gives herself fully into him. “I want to hear you say it”. 

She looks up at him and her pupils are wide. 

“I - I want to suck you off again”, she says. “And I don’t want you to be gentle this time. Fuck my face hard. I want to swallow every drop.”

Michael wasn’t expecting _that_. 

“Do it then!” He snaps, and in an instant, her mouth is wrapped around his shaft, licking the entirety of his length from the base, to his balls, to his sensitive tip as he grips her hair and thrusts himself into her mouth. 

His sadistic, demonic side is telling him that he wants to paint her lips with his cum, but his human side is also poking through, and his want to always put her pleasure above his own is equally bubbling to the surface. He loves what she’s doing, but wants her to feel something too. 

“Your lips feel incredible around my cock”, he says finally, and tries to pull her off him. “But as much as I want to cum on them, I also want to take you and bend you over right now”. 

She looks up at him and releases her mouth momentarily. 

“Tough shit!” she snaps at him, and again wraps her lips around his length. 

_Michael is even more turned on by this than he cares to admit._

Even the sadist that he is, he still always loves when she shows strength and confidence. He doesn’t want her to fully submit to his _every_ desire at all times (although he certainly welcomes it in instances like this). He knows that isn’t what she wants either. She’s partially in control now because she asserted herself and took the lead, even in a position where he’s currently the more dominant one.

This balance of power between the two of them, and knowing that he’s doing this right now because she wants him to, makes both his cock harder and his heart swell with pride. 

So he takes it in. He grips tightly to her hair and thrusts into her mouth, loving the sensation of her saliva and suction combined with the new feeling of harshly fucking her in a different part of her body. She still can’t take him all, and he doesn’t try to make her. 

She holds on to his thigh tightly with one hand and pumps her fist with the other, her tongue gliding along his shaft and his tip as he both voluntarily and involuntarily continues thrusting. Michael’s mind is completely blank, completely immersed in his arousal and simultaneously feeling in awe of how far Barrie’s come ( _no pun intended, he thinks)_. It isn’t much longer before he does just that - the feeling of himself coming into her mouth and watching her wipe her lips with the remnants is something he never thought he would see with her. 

And he isn’t done with her yet.

 

Before she has a chance to say anything, he lifts her off the floor and tosses her on the bed onto her back, kissing and licking down her stomach until his head is buried between her thighs.

“What are you doing?” It’s her turn to ask this now as he looks up at her from between her legs. 

“Returning the favor”, he replies, and doesn’t even tease her this time. He parts her labia with his fingers and dives right in, fully immersing his mouth and tongue in her wetness and pumping his own cock to make it hard once again, because he hears her thinking she doesn’t want this to end even after she climaxes. He continues right through her orgasm, sucking more at her swollen clit and she climaxes again, before she pushes him away. 

When she does, Michael knows she wants more, but still looks up at her and wants her to give him permission. He always will. 

She’s laying there panting. He crawls up over her and kisses her neck, nibbling at the skin and thinking that he probably is biting too hard, but she allows it and moans. 

“Get on your back, Michael”, she says into his ear, snapping him out of the trance he’s in as he kisses and sucks her neck. “ _Now_! ” 

Michael is fully surprised now, but does as he’s told. He’s hard as a rock and watches in as she pushes him down and climbs on top of him, sliding herself onto his cock and rides him like her life depends on it. 

He’s fully hypnotized by her breasts bouncing in his face and leans up to focus his attention on them again, as he started out earlier. 

There’s no dirty talk. There’s no talk at all, except the occasional moan from them both of each other’s names. When Barrie’s walls finally clench and spasm around him, his own release is inevitable and he shoves her off him, cumming profusely into the air and onto the sheets below him. 

When he finishes, he uses his magic to clean himself up (and the bed), and turns to look at Barrie, who’s laying on her stomach and breathing heavily, her faced drenched in sweat.

They lie there staring at each other and not speaking for a few minutes before Michael decides to break the tension and opens his mouth, but Barrie goes first. 

“You’re a royal pain in my ass sometimes, you know that, right?” She says and Michael laughs in response as he turns on his side. 

“That’s amusing. I thought you were going to say I’m the best you’ve ever had in bed”, he says with a smug grin. She rolls her eyes and glares at him. He also hears her thinking that he’s partially right, at least compared to the low number of other consensual partners she’s had. He smirks in delight at this, knowing she’s thinking it, but won’t say it out loud.

He reaches over and holds his arms out, inviting her in. She turns over and slides into him. 

“In all seriousness”, he says quietly, brushing his fingers down her arms. “You don’t know how proud I am of you for doing what you just did. You told me what you wanted, and you went for it. You asserted yourself. And it didn’t stop there. You faced your fear again, and did it in a way you know I liked. My mind is blown that you trusted me enough yet again, to allow me to do that to you, and you wanted it.” 

“I kinda liked being in control of it”, she says quietly. “It made me feel like I’m taking back what happened to me. Like, I was facing my trauma head on, more directly than last time”.

She pauses, and he hears her voice quivering.

“Don’t get used to that though”, she continues. “I make no guarantees for being able to do that all the time”.

“Oh don’t worry, my love”, he says. “You said that last time as well. Personally, I think I enjoy giving way more than receiving”. 

It’s Barrie’s turn to laugh now. 

Well”, she says. “I meant me being the dominant one, but yeah... that too”. 

“You’re amazing”, he whispers to her, holding her tightly. He almost doesn’t want to let go of her, feeling somewhat afraid that she’ll leave again if he does. “You really have no idea how amazing you are. Even if you never see that, I see it in you. And I’ll tell you every chance I get”. 

They lay together and take a nap for a good while, before Barrie wakes around noon to get in the shower and start getting ready for her shift. Michael is awake, his mind already drifting to what’s going to happen later tonight once the poisoned apples at the party are consumed. 

He’s part excited that his plan is finally shifting into motion, but part worried when he thinks what Barrie’s reaction is going to be. To keep his mind occupied, he jumps from the bed and transmutates into the bathroom, knocking on the glass shower door to get her attention. 

“Mind if I join you?” He asks, his eyes already staring at her wet, naked silhouette behind the fogged up glass. She smiles and opens the door, allowing him to step inside. 

They emerge thirty minutes later, both clean and coming down from the highs of the orgasms they both just experienced, as after asking for her consent to do so, Michael couldn’t stop himself from pushing her against the wall and fucking her again underneath the running water. 

He helps her into her uniform again, and chooses to wrap her hair into the Grey worker bun for her, despite that she’s rolling her eyes at him the whole time. 

“I guess I do like this corny side to you”, she says, fixing her hair after he hasn’t done it exactly right, and some of her strands are falling out. Michael simply grins, knowing that she appreciates his half-assed attempt anyway. 

“I never fully got in my pampering of you, after all”, he says, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

“And I like that side to you, as opposed to you killing someone”, Barrie responds. Michael doesn’t respond, as he hears her already thinking, and instead tilts her head to the side to kiss her neck. He spots a decent sized bruise on her neck just below her earlobe from where he bit down too hard, and briefly runs his palm over it, using his magic to heal it. He doesn’t say anything to her about it. 

As she’s about to leave for her shift, Michael takes her in his arms and looks at her with utmost seriousness.

“Listen to me, this is very important”, he says. “I may not see you again until after the party later. So, please, whatever you do - promise me you won’t eat any apples”.

“You mentioned that to me the other day”, Barrie says. “What do you even mean by that? I meant to ask you but I forgot”. 

“Just trust me. Please. Promise me?” He looks at her sternly and won’t let her leave until she swears to him. 

She sighs. “I don’t know what you’re even talking about”, she replies. “But - fine. Okay. I promise I won’t”. 

“Good”, he says, and kisses her long and slowly, whispering that he loves her before letting her leave his room. 

 

Things are going to change heavily in the next few hours. Michael Langdon now has just a few to convince the woman he loves to join his side.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- “I want to take back some fucking control”, is a line from the third and final season of The Leftovers, another show I loved.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter. Buckle up. 
> 
> I did things a bit different here. In the smut scene in the fourth part, but also the fifth, the italics paragraphs are Michael’s third person narration and inner thoughts. This is a pivotal moment in both the story and a turning point in their relationship, so we are alternating their viewpoints together instead of separate for this one. 
> 
> I hope I executed this one how I wanted it to. 
> 
> I do have to give a shout out to @hades_little_whore for helping me brainstorm ideas for this chapter!!

_Well. That happened_. 

The emotional (and physical) aspects of my morning with Michael were waining on me as I attempted to do my afternoon chores, which included helping to clean the library to get it ready for the Halloween party.

Since I had missed lunch, Mallory was kind enough to bring me a cube and some water, and I sat down to eat for a quick break.

Chewing proved to be a little difficult, and Mallory noticed.

“Are you okay?” She asked me, her head cocked.

“I’m fine,” I replied. “My jaw kinda hurts, that’s it.”

“Do you think you did something to it?” She asked curiously.

My brain suddenly shifted to the image of Michael thrusting his dick into my mouth repeatedly.

“I might have?” I said shyly. “Don’t ask.”

Mallory shrugged. I didn’t need to tell her the details.

“If you’re in a lot of pain, Naomi told me she found a bottle of aspirin in the back of the medical supply closet the other day,” Mallory says.

“Shit, really?!” My eyes widened. Outpost 3 had come stocked with a full closet of medical supplies, but the pain relievers had long been used up months ago. Or so I thought.

“Yeah,” Mallory said. “Come on, let’s go get you some.”

“I think I’ll be okay,” I said, thinking to myself that if I was in too much pain, I could find Michael and ask him to heal it for me, and not need to waste aspirin on anyone else who may need it.

“Oh stop, I got you,” Mallory said. I took a final bite of my cube and after we brought the plate and glass into the kitchen, she and I went to the supply closet at the end of the hall.

She turned the key and opened the door, and we entered. We didn’t need to look hard for it - the bottle (a large one, at that!) was sitting on one of the shelves, with a sticky note attached to it - 

 

**Found this yesterday. Only bottle available as of October 30th. Ration with care.**

**\- Naomi**

 

Mallory reached up and handed me the bottle. The seal on the lid had already been broken, because of course it was. I turned the cap and poured two of the small white tablets into my palm and put them into my apron pocket before handing the bottle back to Mallory.

She reached to put the bottle back on the shelf with the note, and in the process her opposite hand knocked over a plastic first aid kit box, which opened and the contents spilled onto the floor.

“Damn it!” She said in frustration, and I bent down to help her pick up everything.

I followed the trail of Band-Aids and ointment tubes to where they had fallen into the corner of the room, and pushed a large pair of crutches out of the way to pick them up.

Behind the crutches was something I hadn’t seen before. It looked like a large wooden barrel, and next to it was a black trunk that was partially opened.

I couldn’t help but notice a dark hint of red coming from inside the trunk, and took a peek - it was filled to the top with dozens of bright red apples.

“Hey Mallory, come look at this!” I said to her. She turned her head as she finished picking up the contents of the first aid box and put the box back on the shelf before coming over. 

“Whoa! What’s this?!” She exclaimed when she saw the trunk.

“I don’t know, I just found it,” I said. 

“I would advise that the two of you do not touch those just yet,” we heard a voice behind us, turning to see Ms. Mead standing in the doorway to the closet. 

“I see you two found our little surprise,” she continued. 

“Where did these come from?” Mallory asked. 

“They were sent here to us by The Cooperative the other day,” Ms. Mead answered. “We decided that they would be a perfect treat for the Halloween party. We are going to bob for apples later and then eat them.”

Mallory’s face lit up. Mine did too, but only for a moment, as I suddenly remembered what Michael had said to me about not eating any apples. 

“You two are not to tell anyone,” Ms. Mead continued. “It’ll ruin the surprise.”

She walked up behind us and placed her hands on our backs, escorting us out of the room as she locked up the door.

 

* * *

 

 

I spent the rest of the day distracted (although the aspirin did the trick in helping my aching jaw), trying hard to concentrate on my duties, but finding the apples and remembering what Michael had told me, plagued my mind. I kept looking for spare moments to go find and talk to Michael, but Ms. Venable had the Greys working on overtime to clean, serve dinner and prepare for the party. 

Once dinner finished and we cleaned up, I went to Coco’s room to find Mallory, who still had my lace mask. After allowing me inside, I found Coco sitting at her mirror doing her makeup for the party and Mallory was hanging clothes in Coco’s closet.

“This better be important!” Coco snapped at me, not looking away from applying her mascara. 

“Relax, I just came to get my mask,” I said with a groan, approaching Mallory. While walking over to me, she stumbled and fell over, grabbing on to one of Coco’s Purple dresses for support to break her fall. In the process, the dress came off the hanger and an assortment of boxes fell off a shelf. 

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Mallory said, glaring at Coco while standing up, who didn’t even acknowledge her. 

“You know, Barrie,” Coco said as she began applying eyeliner. “As long as you’re here, make yourself useful. Help Mallory clean that up.”

I rolled my eyes as Mallory handed me the lace mask and I bent down, cleaning up the boxes and contents. I picked up a black shoebox with the lid ajar, and a handful of objects fell out. As I went to pick them up, I gasped when I realized what they were - an assortment of vibrators, bottles of lube and various other types of small to medium size sex toys. 

Mallory giggled profusely when she saw, even more so when she saw me blushing hard. 

“What are you laughing at?” I heard Coco say to us. 

“Barrie found your vibrators and fake dick collection,” Mallory said, and I gave her a deathly look. 

But, I also got an idea. 

“Hey, Coco,” said, as Mallory and I put everything back in the shoebox. “I - okay, this is weird, I know, but... um... do you think I can borrow one of these?” 

She turned and looked at me curiously. 

“Um...  _ew_!” She said, sneering at me. 

“Obviously, only if it’s clean...” I started to say. 

“Oh lighten up, I didn’t mean that!” She hissed. “I just don’t need to know about your personal life.” Coco then sighed, and continued speaking. 

“Fine, whatever. Give me the box.”

I picked up the shoebox and handed it to her. She left her mirror and walked over to her bed, motioning for me to come over.

She opened the box and dug through it, tossing the random toys on her bed. She pulled out a large rubber dildo which rolled off the bed and landed at my feet. 

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing as she reached down and picked it up. 

“Don’t even _think_ about taking this one!” She snapped, tossing it back in the box. 

I looked over at Mallory, who was covering her mouth, trying to contain her laughs.

“Here we go!” I heard Coco say. I turned to her and she reached her hand out, handing me a small, unopened white box that still had the plastic seal on its lid. I opened it up and inside was a small, silver, bullet shaped vibrator. 

“Never opened that one,” Coco said to me. “Comes with a pouch. Has three speeds, and it’s battery operated. I have a pack of double A’s I can give you for them. Mallory, can you go inside my trunk and get the bag with the batteries?”

Mallory walked over to a large trunk on the floor, opened it, dug around in a tote bag and reached her own hand out, handing me a package of AA batteries. 

“Wow. This is so nice of you, Coco,” I said, putting the batteries and the vibrator box inside my apron pocket. 

“Don’t get used to it,” Coco replied in an annoyed sounding voice, and returned to doing her makeup. 

Mallory walked me to the door and I looked at her. 

“It’s fine, I don’t need to know what kinda stuff you and him are doing,” she whispered, and I giggled. “I’ll see you at the party in a bit.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

We gathered in the library later that evening, and I watched as Ms. Mead dragged the barrel of apples into the middle of the room. Andre walked over and stuck his hand in the barrel. 

“Ah!” Ms. Mead said to him, slapping his hand away. “No treats until the time comes.”

“Nobody’s even _seen_ a piece of fresh fruit in eighteen months!” Andre exclaimed. “Where did this come from?”

“Perhaps I should drag in one of the horses who rode through Hell to gift us these sweet little wonders so you can look it in the mouth!” Ms. Mead replied. 

“I know,” Mr. Gallant spoke up, walking over to us donned in his party mask and holding a glass of water. “It’s symbolic. It’s the Garden of Eden, apples from paradise. It’s obviously from the Sanctuary.”

“We should say grace to thank the universe for sending them to us!” Dinah exclaimed, putting her hands to the ceiling.

“You are so fucking  _annoying_ ,” Andre said in a snarky voice as he glared at his mother.

“Enough!” said  Ms. Mead. “Ms. Venable said everyone will get a chance to bob for apples later.”

I watched while standing off to the side, and saw Mallory approach on the balcony. She stood over and looked down at everyone, clearing her throat. 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she said. “May I present Ms. Coco Saint-Pierre Vanderbilt.”

Everyone stared at Coco, who walked out in a massively large hairstyle and done up makeup. 

Gallant looked around the room and put his hands together. 

“Uh, can we clap please?” He said. “Thank you.”

Everyone in the room passively clapped as Coco took a bow. 

“You did that?” Ms. Mead asked him. 

“Without a blow dryer, sometimes I even astonish myself!” Gallant replied proudly. 

Looking up at Coco, I saw Ms. Venable walk up behind her and lean into her, whispering “Boo!” into her ear. Startled, she and Mallory descended the stairs and joined the rest of us. 

It was Ms. Venable’s turn to clear her throat now as she addressed everyone from the balcony. 

“Tonight is All Hallows' Eve, which marks the beginning of the dark half of the year, when the boundary between this world and the Other, and lost souls pierce the firmament, desperate to find their way home.” She said. “It is a night to remember the dead, and there have been far too many to mourn. But also to celebrate that we have yet to join them.  We delight in the small things that were once taken for granted. To eat. To drink.  Music and dance. Everyone, and I mean  _everyone,_ should savor this night as if it were their last.” 

The music from the library radio started, and everyone began dancing. I stood over on the side with Mallory, trying to sway to the music a little, but kept looking at the apples in the barrel out of the corner of my eye. 

A few minutes later, a tall figure wearing a black cloak and what looked like a gas mask walked into the room and approached Coco, who had previously been dancing with Gallant for a bit. I happened to be standing close enough to hear parts of what she was saying as she began speaking to the figure.

“Oh,” she said, looking up. “And who are you? Well, you’re not Andre...” I heard her say as she looked around. I glanced over and saw Andre dancing with Dinah.

“And I would know my hairdresser,” Coco continued, and I noticed Gallant had moved over to the fireplace with his drink. 

“Well, this must be Mr. Langdon,” she said, clicking her tongue. “I would be honored.”

Coco and the person in the mask began to dance, and Mallory nudged me. 

“Hey,” she whispered. “Did you see that? She just called that person ‘Mr. Langdon’. What’s that about?” 

“I don’t even know,” I shrugged. “I told you Michael said he’s not going. He’s too busy.”

“Yeah, you did say that,” Mallory responded. “Who the hell is _that_ , then?” 

I kept a close eye on Coco and the person in the cloak and gas mask, eventually seeing her whisper something in their ear before dragging them off by the hand, looking like she was heading to her room on the second floor. 

I knew that it wasn’t Michael - I trusted him, and he had assured me he wasn’t going. Still, I had this strange feeling in my gut that wouldn’t let up. I tried to enjoy the party, and upon seeing that Coco had been gone for at least twenty minutes, I grew impatient and decided to go find Michael.

I excused myself to go use the bathroom and went straight to Michael’s office, knocking on the door. 

“Come in,” I heard him say, and I walked inside, seeing him at his desk collecting all of the files and folders. 

“I knew you weren’t at the party,” I said to him, approaching the desk. 

“No, clearly I’m not,” he said, motioning for me to come over. “Is everything okay? You look a little stressed.”

“I just - I don’t know,” I said, approaching him. “I have a weird feeling. I can’t explain it. Just kind of like, a nervous, anxious feeling that something is about to happen.”

“Don’t worry, my love,” Michael said, turning me around as he began to rub my shoulders. “You seem to be rather wound up. There’s really no need for you to feel anxious. I know you just do naturally, so if you would like, I will help you relax if you want. Let me release some of the tension in your neck.”

He kneaded his palms across my neck and upper back, and I decided, but making sure not to think too clearly about it, that I would use the time to put my plan in place - I would put on another show for Michael and get him vulnerable enough to tell me what his plan with the apples was. I would incorporate the vibrator into this somehow. 

I wasn’t sure how I would pull it off, but turned around and wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned up to kiss him. 

“I can think of another way to relax,” I said, fluttering my eyes at him after pulling away. “Meet me upstairs. In my room this time. I have a surprise for you.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh, _really_ now?”  He said in a low voice. “Well, you know I can’t ever say no to you. Feel free to go get ready and I will be upstairs shortly.”

I left his office and made my way upstairs. All the while thinking,  _how the hell am I going to pull this off_? 

 

 

* * *

 

I didn’t have any lingerie, and Michael never seemed to care about that to begin with. So I did the next best thing I could think of - I ducked into my room and slid my panties off, tossing them to the side of the room. I also made sure to take the hair ties out and let my hair fall down. 

Michael appeared in my room roughly five minutes later, before I had a chance to get on my bed. 

“I hope I didn’t interrupt you, and you weren’t too busy,” I said as I approached him.

“Never too busy for you, my love,” he said with a grin, and stepped forward. “Now what, pray tell, is this surprise you have for me?”

I spoke in a low voice. “I’m bored of the party. I snuck out. Thought maybe you wanted to entertain me. Or... I could entertain  _you.”_

He lowered his eyelids and stepped forward even more, licking his lips. 

“Well, Barrie. You have something in mind that I never imagined you would be into,” he said seductively.

“I - I kinda liked what we did the other day,” I said. “The whole no touching thing? And decided to take it a step further.”

I reached out and pulled gently on Michael’s hand, guiding him into me. His arm dipped around my back and he bent his head down to kiss me. His lips went from mine to the side of my face as he brushed my hair away, exposing my neck to him as he attached his lips to the skin and gently nibbled. I reached my hand down and stroked his crotch. 

He moaned, and then his eyes widened, glancing down. 

“Oh my,” he said. “You’re _especially naughty_ tonight. No panties?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not used to someone even having mind reading abilities, let alone dating someone with them,” I said. “You aren’t making this easy on me!”

“What’s the fun in doing that?” Michael replied, and I felt him unzipping the top half of my uniform. His hands, as they usually did, then found themselves entangled in my hair as I pulled my dress down to my waist. 

The tips of Michael’s fingers brushed gently over my collarbones and down to my chest, but once they reached my bra, I took a step backward and pushed him away gently. 

“You’re going to get a visual, but you cannot touch until I say so. Got it?” I said, very sternly. 

He nodded, but didn’t respond.

“Sit,” I commanded him, motioning to the desk chair, which he took and positioned it just in front of the foot of my bed before sitting down. 

I slowly pulled my uniform off and let it pool around my feet, stepping out of it and standing in front of him in just my bra, my lower half completely bare. I slowly ran my fingers over my covered breasts and down my stomach before settling them between my thighs.

“I wouldn’t have minded if you left your panties on,” Michael said. “But... I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy that you didn’t.”

_Michael takes a breath_. 

“Should I take my clothes off?” He asked. 

“Not yet,” I said. “I think _you're_ the only one who’s being naughty today.”

I laid back on my bed and slowly continued to brush my fingers over my torso and my thighs. 

He stared at me with hooded eyes.

“Well, something has certainly gotten into you. Have you ever done this before?” He asked. 

I took a deep breath of my own. “You mean... masturbate in front of someone?”

Michael nodded.

“Not in person,” I admitted. I was slightly embarrassed to tell him that I had sexted and sent videos of me touching myself to someone in the past, but it was clear he knew already. I wasn’t quite sure how he would react. 

“You don’t have to justify anything you did before me, my love,” he said. “Anything you did, or anyone you were with before meeting me is irrelevant to me. Please don’t worry about that. That being said, I am completely honored to be the first person you want to touch yourself for.”

“You can tell me what you want to see,” I said. 

“No,” Michael responded. “Show me how you do it yourself.” 

_He stares at her, his eyes almost burning with lust. He can’t fully read what her intentions are, as her mind is all over the place once again. He’s allowing this moment of unpredictability with her, because this is what he’s been working towards with her all along. He knows she can do this. He wants her to._

“Help me along a little, please?” I asked in the most seductive voice I could think of. “Use your words. Tell me how you want to touch me... and how you will, when I finally let you.”

Michael’s chest rose in another deep breath. 

“I would start by kissing you,” he said quietly. “Then, move my lips from yours to focus on your neck. I know you love when I do that.”

“I do,” I said, still brushing my fingers between my thighs. 

“I would slowly work my way down...”

_ Michael feels his pants begin to stiffen, his underwear becoming tight. He’s never been one to hide his erections from her, but wants to give the illusion of being completely in control over what’s currently happening. He feels his cock rising, and crosses his legs in an attempt to not show it.  _

“Drag my lips across your throat to your collarbones, and my fingers over every crevice of your beautiful body,” he continued. 

I switched my hands and caressed my breasts over my bra. I noticed Michael crossing his legs suddenly, and had to wonder if he had gotten hard and didn’t want me to see. 

_He watches intensely as she moves along the bed, her small hands gliding themselves across various parts of her body. Michael is growing anxious, wanting to touch her himself. But he waits._

“My hands would be filling themselves with your breasts,” he said in a breathy whisper. “Your beautiful, perfect tits and those equally perfect nipples. _Fuck._ They really are  perfect.” He paused and I could see his breathing increasing. “Take off your bra. I want to see them.”

“I didn’t say you could,” I said, but huffed anyway as I reached around and undid the clasps, letting it fall off my body. 

He licked his lips as he eyed me. 

“I often wonder,” he said quietly. 

“About what?” I said, beginning to rub my palms over my nipples.

“If my Father or some other being created you just for me,” he said, crossing his legs tighter. I could see him squirming in his chair, clearly trying to hide something from me. “I really am beyond words for you at this point.” 

I didn’t say anything, instead lowering my hands and laid back on the bed, spreading my legs. I lowered my hand and spread myself open as I began to slip two of my small fingers inside myself.

_Michael bit his lip._ _He really had no idea what he was in for_. 

“I can see how wet you are already,” he said. “I  can smell you from here. I want to touch you. Taste you...”

“Come here then.  _Now,”_ I said, in a soft but demanding tone. “Slowly.” I made a come-hither motion with my index finger, trying to get him to move.

He stood up, and seemed almost embarrassed as he looked down at his crotch. His pants were stiff and I could see the outline of his hard-on through the tight black fabric. 

He approached the bed, almost cat like in his movements as he hovered over me and sat on the edge. He reached his hand out and brushed his fingers along the inside of my thigh. Without even thinking, I smacked his hand away.

“Bad boy!” I snapped at him. “Look at you. You’re like a puppy that needs training. Too bad I don’t have a crate to lock you into. But I bet you would like that, wouldn’t you?” 

Michael’s eyes lowered, and his mouth shifted into a smirk. 

“And you insist you aren’t good at this,” he said quietly. 

“I’m not,” I admitted, brushing the tips of my fingers over my labia. “I’m pretty terrible at it.”

“I would beg to differ,” Michael responded. “Clearly it’s done something.” He nodded and gestured to his crotch. 

**I couldn’t argue with that.**

“To answer your question,” he continued, his eyes scanning me. “If you were to lock me up and have your way with me, I wouldn’t say no...” 

**Now we’re talking**. 

“Oh?” I said, staring up at him and shooting the most seductive look I could muster. “You wouldn’t?”

“I would not. You look so... so...  _delicious_...” he said in a low voice, his eyelids fluttering. “I want so fucking badly to taste you right now.”

Very gently, I stroked the insides of my labia with my legs open, my fingertips wet as I removed them and brought them up to Michael’s lips. He reached his face forward, eyelids closed, the tip of his tongue protruding from his mouth as he attempted to lick my fingers. Before it could touch me, I pulled them away and returned to touching myself. 

“No,” I said. “You don’t get to yet. You’ve been bad. Bad boys don’t get their treats.”

Michael’s lips curved into a wicked looking grin. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen this side of you, my Barrie,” he said. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say my influence has taken hold of you.”

“Perhaps it has,” I said. I opened my legs wider so my clit, swollen and throbbing now, was in perfect view for him. 

Now sitting close enough for me to reach, I brushed my free hand over Michael’s crotch and ghosted the tips of my fingers over the outline of his erection. 

“I was trying to refrain from touching myself,” Michael responded. “You certainly aren’t making this easy on me either.” He looked calm as always, but also looked like he was trying as hard as possible to maintain composure. 

I took my hand back and returned to brushing my fingers over my groin, shifting and pushing a finger in slightly, and spread myself open as far as my labia could go so Michael could have a better view. 

_His eyes widen and he licks his lips again._

“Go on,” I urged him, and despite my increasing arousal, I purposely kept my touches as light as possible to keep it going. “Just keep talking.”

“My - my hands would be running themselves over your breasts,” he continued, his voice lowering even more. “I would be grazing my fingers over those nipples of yours... gently wrapping my lips around them, feel them hardening under my tongue as I lick and begin to suck on them. Move my lips and kiss down your stomach, my fingers tracing down your hips to your thighs...”

I could see his eyes and face dropping. 

_Michael’s eyes scan her upper body, from her neck to her breasts, and watches as her nipples begin to harden under her palms and she caresses them. He’s thinking how pretty they look, and how he wants his mouth all over them. His eyes go lower and he watches her sliding her tiny fingers in and out of her pussy, thinking she looks so sexy touching herself, but also his urge to want to touch and taste her for himself is becoming harder and harder to ignore._

“Please, Barrie...” he whispered. “I _desperately_ want to touch you. I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”

I glanced at him. My plan was already shifting, but I figured maybe the more turned on I could get him, the more I could get him to speak about the apples when I dropped that on him. I also chose to purposely hide myself thinking about it too much.

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” I said, saying the first thing that came mind. 

Michael grinned at me as he stood up, made a hand motion and his clothes were off, all pooled at his feet on my floor. I glanced down and noticed a shiny object inside his inner jacket pocket, realizing that the knife he kept in the room where he performed his Satanic rituals was poking out. I truthfully wasn’t sure why he even had it on him in the first place. 

I then could see why he was hiding himself from me; his cock was erect and stiff, just as I suspected. 

“Better?” He said.

“Much,” I replied. “Now get over here and behave like a good boy.”

I shifted over to the left side of my bed as Michael sat down again and lowered his body so he was lying on his side next to me. 

“Tell me what you want, my love,” he whispered against the shell of my ear, and I could hear a breathy moan come from him already. 

“I - I want to try something,” I said to him. “Can you - I see your ritual knife in your jacket. Can you get it for me?” 

_Michael lets out a small gasp._

“ _What for?” He asks, but still conjures the knife from his jacket and it appears in his hand_. 

“You told me you like blood,” I said. “Maybe you can... I’m not sure... I’ve never done anything like this.”

I took the knife from his hand and dragged it carefully over my breasts, and my stomach, followed by my right arm. I winced, feeling the sharp blade piercing my skin slightly just along my forearm as I brought it up. 

_Michael looks at her like he’s never seen anything sexier in his entire life, his mouth wide open, watching her pierce the skin of her inner arm with his blade._

“ _Let me taste...” he says softly. She drops the knife off the bed. Michael’s eyelids slowly close as he takes her forearm and licks the red liquid that’s dripping from her pale skin_. 

_He doesn’t tell her that he’s reciting an incantation, an unholy prayer to his Father, in his head - he’s furthering the protection spell he put on her by consuming her blood. He’s doing a sort of power transfer - he knows that she’s a human, and despite being half-human himself, he’s decided the best course of action for them to continue to be together is to have her share some of his magical abilities. When he’s finished, she not only will have regeneration healing abilities, but she won’t be able to die either. He doesn’t want her to - he can’t live without her_. 

_Michael finishes, hoping his Father grants his request, and watches as the cut on Barrie’s forearm heals itself without even leaving a mark. Her eyes watch it in fascination as he leans in and kisses her, bloody lips and all._

“I want to finish,” I said as he pulled away from the kiss. “But... with your hand instead of mine.”

“I’ll do anything you want me to do,” he says. “I swear, I am completely and utterly at your mercy. I will do absolutely anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yes,” Michael said quietly, so quiet that I barely heard him. “Anything.”

“Do what you talked about before,” I said in a low voice. “Kiss me again and make your way down. But use your hand... and maybe your ring. You know what I like.”

Michael’s head lowered and he cupped my face in one hand, kissing me softly and sensually, a surprise as I had assumed he would be rough with it. His lips caressed themselves across my cheek, down my jaw and hit my neck as his fingers crawled down my torso and settled themselves between my legs, slipping one inside and using the one with his square ring to press itself against my clit. 

He had become fairly unpredictable with whenever he chose to use his rings on my clit, so I never knew when to expect it, especially considering he didn’t always wear them anymore when he was with me.This time, I was taking the reins with it. 

I moaned loudly as his opposite hand squeezed my breasts, humming more as he leaned down and did exactly what he described wanting to do to me earlier, wrapping his lips around my nipple and sucking on it at a leisurely pace. 

I became nearly lost in arousal and almost forgot about my plan. But I figured it couldn’t hurt to get at least one orgasm out of this before I got to it. 

Reaching down, I slowly pulled Michael’s fingers away from me and pushed him off my breasts. 

“I wasn’t finished,” he said. 

“I don’t care,” I said to him in a firm voice. “I want your mouth down there.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. 

“You heard me,” I said again. “You’ve been such a good boy. Good boys get rewarded with treats. You want to make me happy, don’t you? You did say I look delicious...”

“You do,” he said, his eyes getting wet. “I would do literally _anything_ for you. I hope you know how impressed I am with you.” 

“Stop talking!” I snapped at him. “I want you using your mouth for one thing only right now!”

Michael crawled on top of me, enough to hover his body over me as he lowered his head and began to kiss between my breasts and slowly went lower and lower, spreading my legs and gently biting and kissing the insides of my thighs. 

“No more teasing,” I said to him firmly, and grabbed a lock of his long hair, gently pulling him away from my thigh. 

Michael shot me a surprised look, and I was afraid I had gone too far. 

He didn’t seem to mind, instead lifting my thighs over his shoulders and leaned forward, inhaling sharply and opening me up with his fingers. 

“Fuck, you’re  _soaked_ ,” he said quietly. “May I please - please, my love?” He looked up at me with his soft eyes.

“You fucking better!” I snapped, and he ducked his head, licking his finger before sliding it inside. 

He went to work and I went so far as to wrap my legs around his head, squeezing his ears between my thighs as he sucked at my clit and slid a second finger inside me. I took the opportunity to grab at his hair and thrust into his mouth hard as I rode out my orgasm, hearing him moaning even with his lips shoved against my labia and his tongue lapping at my clit like a dog. 

**Good boy**. 

_He fully immersed himself. She was so wet, he felt like he could drown in her juices, and if he was being honest with himself, wouldn’t have minded if he did just that. He teased and sucked at her sensitive clit, removing his fingers and making sure to lift her up and lick inside her crack, all in the ways he loves to do that he knows she also loves_. 

When I finished, I pushed Michael away quickly before he had a chance to try and overstimulate me like he usually did, and rolled off the bed. 

“Where are you going?” He asked curiously, watching me intensely as he wiped around his mouth and I reached for the red bag with the vibrator that was in my apron pocket. 

He lay on his stomach on my bed and his eyes widened for what seemed like the hundredth time as he watched me take the silver toy out of the bag. 

“Oh?” he said in a quiet voice. “And what are you going to do with that?” 

“I’m going to punish you,” I said. “Just because I feel like it.”

“How?” Michael asked, cocking his head.

“You should know that by now,” I said. 

“Oh, I _do_ know,”  he said, his mouth shifting into a smirk. “But you know what I like as well. I want to hear you say it.”

I rolled my eyes and walked back over to the bed. He was still on his stomach, and taking notice of his ass in front of me, I rolled the vibrator along one of his cheeks and gently gripped the soft, fleshy mound in my fingers. 

He looked at me curiously, and I leaned down and placed my lips on his cheek, playfully biting down onto the spot where my hand was. 

Michael flinched. 

“Well, something has _definitely_ gotten into you tonight,” he said with a smirk. “That was unexpected, but I have to say... I enjoyed it.”

“Good. Now. On your back, Langdon,” I said, trying to sound as demanding as possible. “I wish I had your scarf so I could tie your hands together though...”

Michael wasted no time turning over and laying back against my pillows, and held his wrists together in front of him. He nodded his head and in an instant, his red scarf was binding them together on his chest.

“This is new...” he said. “I don’t know what brought this all on, but...”

“But what?” I said, leaning in and ghosting my lips over his before pulling away. “Don’t you like it?”

“ I. _Fucking_. _Love_. _It_.”, he said softly, emphasizing each word as his hair fell across his eyes. 

“Good boy,” I said to him, leaning in and finally kissing him, incredibly gently before licking his lips with my tongue. 

I took a moment to soak in the details on his face. I often did that, and marveled at it. His well defined cheekbones. His gorgeous, clear blue eyes. His jawline, that was so sharp it could cut glass. 

A fantastic quote immediately came to mind as I ran my fingers across his chin.

“You,” I said quietly. “You have a jawline...  for _days_...”

Michael chuckled. “Do I really?” He asked sheepishly. “How many days?” 

I couldn’t help but laugh to myself that he didn’t understand.

“I can’t take credit for that,” I said. “It’s from a TV show I used to watch. Now. Lay down.”

I pushed him so he was lying on his back.

Holding the vibrator in my hand, I crawled on top of Michael’s chest and turned it on, beginning to run it slowly across each of his nipples. 

He hummed and closed his eyes tight. 

“Fuckkkkkkkk,” he moaned. 

“You like?” I asked him, dragging the vibrating object along his torso. 

He nodded. 

“Ugh... I want you, Barrie,” he whispered in a raspy voice. “I want to be inside you...” 

“Not yet,” I said. “I’m going to tease you a bit first...”

_Michael gulps, his chest rising and falling again_. _His mouth opens, and a mild whimper leaves his lips._

“I take it this  _really_ excites you,” I said, turning myself around and leaned forward, wrapping my palm around his shaft. 

“You don’t even know what you’re doing to me right now,” I heard him whisper behind me. 

“And what’s that?” I said, delicately rolling the silver toy over his swollen tip. I spotted a drop of precum leaking from it as I glided the metal object over the hard skin.

I could hear him taking another deep breath behind me. He took several harsh breaths before speaking again. I turned to look at him. 

“I can’t even tell you how utterly amazed I am at you,” he said. “You’ve come so far - I’m beyond fucking proud. Your assertiveness and confidence is turning me on like never before. I can sense you feel like you’re not doing well enough, but you’re doing just fine. More than fine, in fact. You really have no idea what you’ve done to me. Fuck, I love you. I’m so fucking in love with you.” 

_Michael really is at a loss for words. What she’s doing is beyond anything he’s ever imagined. His heart is swelling and beating faster than ever; his cock is so hard, he feels like he’s going to explode at any moment. His body is nearly shaking from excitement_.

I could feel my eyes tearing up, but chose to ignore it.

“I love you, Michael,” I said. “You’re my whole world.”

_He hears her thinking that if she knew how easily it was to turn him to mush, she would have attempted to do it sooner. Michael knows, however, that this is no easy task for anyone to do, and he’s so overcome with emotion and arousal that Barrie has made him crack open his shell. He’s so in love with her, it physically hurts in parts of his body that aren’t his genitalia._

“I’m about to do _this_ you,” I replied instead, as I turned on the vibrator and brushed it gently on the underside of Michael’s cock, followed by reaching underneath and grazing it across his balls.

The sound that came from his mouth was almost definitely inhuman. I turned to look at him again. His eyes were squeezed shut. His mouth was wide open. 

Deciding to take things one step further, I turned the vibrator off and pushed my hips up, sitting down and situating myself on top of his cock, slowly pushing the tip in at first before allowing his entire length to stretch me, and rode him as hard as I could from behind like I had done to him during our make up sex after that first argument. I made sure to lean forward as much as possible to allow him a view of my ass. 

_In any other instance, Michael would take this opportunity to run his fingers over the soft curves of her ass, and potentially spank her a bit, or bend her over and mount her like he did during their make up sex. With his hands willingly tied, he watches her bounce up and down on him, the current angle still allowing for him to get in fairly deeply. He bites his lip yet again, thinking to himself that she feels so good around him, he actually might cry. He’s letting her have full, unrelenting control. He’s holding back his urges - he knows she wants this, she needs it even, and he wants it just as much. This is exactly what he’s been working towards._

I couldn’t hear anything in those moments except Michael’s moans, although something resembling my name slipped from his lips, but in a garbled mess of words.

I also decided to completely forgo my impending second orgasm in favor of the plan. 

“Barrie, I -  I’m... _almost_... _there_...” Michael panted. 

_He thinks that he’s so close, so fucking close, he might explode_. 

I slid off him immediately. 

“You don’t get to cum yet,” I said, turning on the vibrator and instead rubbing it along the underside of his tip once again. 

“ Barrie, _please._ ..” He panted again.

“Not until you tell me...” I said, looking up at him. His eyes were wet, as was his entire face, which was dripping with perspiration. I left the vibrator on and placed it gingerly against his cock as I crawled up next to him and kissed him harshly, sucking especially hard on his lower lip. 

_Michael gives in to the kiss as his cock is throbbing below, the vibration against it feeling better than almost anything else he’s ever felt. His lips devour hers, and he’s overwhelmed with a strange combination of pride, intense arousal and love. He thinks to himself as she kisses him that he’s never met anyone more perfect in his life. He knows she’s passed his test, the test he’s been giving her right along since the day they met._

Pulling away from the kiss, I leaned in to whisper, “Tell me. About the apples. What did you do to them?  _What... the fuck... are you planning_?”

 _Michael’s face fell and his mouth opened as if to speak_.

Then the sounds of screaming outside the door interrupted us. 

 

* * *

I immediately turned and hopped off the bed, not even caring that I was leaving Michael was with his hands tied and a vibrator against his erection, close to orgasm. I slipped back into my uniform as quick as I could, sans any underwear, and ran down the stairs to the library.

 

_While she’s outside, Michael’s cock finally, fucking finally, pulses out at an inhuman rate, a demonic growl escaping his throat. When he finishes, he uses his magic to unbind his wrists and lays back, utterly fucked out and defeated, his breathing rapid and harsh. He’s almost dizzy; the room is spinning and he feels almost numb. His normally inhuman stamina is taking longer than usual to kick in - he feels complete and utter exhaustion, and post coital euphoria like he’s never felt before._

 

When I got to the balcony, my hands clasped over my mouth as I watched in horror at the scene below me - everyone at the party vomiting and convulsing, one by one dropping like flies onto the floor. 

_Michael suddenly snaps back into reality and his post orgasm high diminishes when he hears Barrie screaming outside._ _He uses his magic to both clean himself up and dress himself again, also feeling proud that his other long running plan to murder everyone in the Outpost has worked_. 

I watched as Mallory fell over and her face covered in foam and saliva, I ran downstairs with tears streaming down my face as I went to pick her up.

“ Mallory!” I  gasped, sobbing hard as I felt for her pulse. A pulse that was nonexistent. Holding her body in my arms, I cried into her shoulder as the bodies of Gallant, Dinah, Andre, Emily, Timothy, Naomi and every other Grey and security guard were now strewn across the floor and couches.

Hearing the loud tap of Ms. Venable’s cane in the distance, I dropped Mallory’s body and composed myself enough to run back upstairs. 

I quickly passed by Coco’s room, noticing that she had not been amongst the bodies in the library and hoped to find her. Her door was ajar, and upon running inside, I screamed again when I saw her lying on the floor lifeless, with a knife through her forehead. I looked around and the dark stranger in the mask she left the party with was nowhere to be seen.

I raced down the hall and turned a corner, back to my room.

Michael was fully dressed and his hands were unbinded. He was sitting on my bed, the vibrator laying at his side. 

“Barrie, please, just listen...” he said as soon as I entered the room. 

“No, Michael!” I shouted at him as I pointed at the door. “Everyone’s...  everyone’s fucking dead! GET. OUT. NOW!!!”

“But - “ He stood and began to protest, and I could see tears forming in his eyes. 

“NO!” I shouted at him again. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM! You just killed literally everyone... including my only other friend here!! I don’t want to see or even look at you!!!” 

My own eyes were crying so hard that they were burning. 

Michael looked down at his feet briefly before grabbing my shoulders and pulling me into him. I angrily wiggled my way out of his arms. 

“Fuck you, Michael!”, I said quietly, looking up at him and sobbing hard. “Just... Leave me alone!” 

He sighed and took a step back. I could see the defeat in his eyes. 

“I’m just so grateful you didn’t eat the apples,” he said in a soft voice. “I don’t think you would have died, but still...”

“What the fuck are you talking about?!” I yelled at him. “You know what - don’t bother answering that. Just go away.”

“As you wish,” he said. “You know where to find me. Just know this - what you did before? That was incredible. I’m _so_ proud of you. You should be proud of  yourself . I don’t know if this means anything, but I still love you.”

I didn’t even get a chance to respond, as Michael disappeared, likely having transmutated to either his room or his office. 

Not knowing what else to do, I threw myself onto my bed and sobbed harder than I think I ever have. 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go. The start of shit hitting the fan. 
> 
> Note: I’ve alternated perspectives again. Michael’s third person narration is in italics, and Barrie’s thoughts are in bold. 
> 
> They finally manage to have a (sort of) adult conversation about their relationship. Michael “introduces” her to Ms. Mead as his lover. There’s smut towards the end, and Barrie takes another huge step in their intimacy. 
> 
> Then comes the beginning of the end.

Laying on my bed, I felt numb. Hurt. Defeated. I couldn’t help but stare at the ceiling and felt like I didn’t have any tears left. 

It was then that I heard Ms. Venable’s cane tapping louder as I had earlier. Curious, I forced myself out of bed and went to the door, peering over the balcony as I watched her and Ms. Mead enter the library with corpses laying strewn about.

“And here’s the trick”, I heard Ms. Venable saying. I watched as the woman below me walked amongst the dead bodies.

“Now, that went off rather well, don't you think? Little messier than I would have hoped.” She continued.

“Least we don’t have to worry about cleaning up”, Ms. Mead said.

“We shouldn’t keep Mr. Langdon waiting”, Ms. Venable replied, and I ducked back into my room as I saw them coming up the stairs.

I closed the door mostly but left it open a crack to peek out, as I watched them walk past and down the hall towards Michael’s room. Watching them intensely, I noticed a small, bulky black object in Mead’s hand.

 

_A gun._

 

Despite that I was still confused and angry, even though I figured Michael would likely be fine, I still felt compelled to get out of bed and quietly followed them to his room. 

Turning a corner, I watched them go into Michael’s room and I followed quickly behind them. They closed the door, but I managed to open it quietly enough to peer inside the tiny crack.

Michael was sitting at his desk, typing away at his laptop.

“Ladies, I’m a little busy right now formulating my selections”, I heard him say, and noticed he didn’t turn to even acknowledge them.

“This won’t take long”, Ms. Venable responded.

Michael closed his laptop and turned to look at them finally, placing his elbow on the desk and his chin resting on his knuckles.

“What’s this?” He asked as Ms. Venable approached him slowly. Ms. Mead hung back near the door.

“We’re making the selections now, Mr. Langdon”, said Ms. Venable. “And I’m afraid you didn’t make the cut”.

Michael suddenly stifled a small laugh.

“I’m sorry”, he said. “I wanted to let you have your moment, but I just couldn’t hold it in”.

“You think this is funny?” Ms. Venable asked him.

“I think I’m impressed, Ms. Venable”, Michael said. “I wasn’t sure you had it in you”.

He rose from the chair finally.

“You’ve passed the test”, he said. “You’re perfect for the Sanctuary”.

Even from behind the door, I could see the intense stare down happening between Michael and Ms. Venable.

“Ms. Mead”, she said firmly, and I noticed Ms. Mead reaching for the gun and pointed it at Michael.

“I wouldn’t do that”, he said to them, and I noticed him cocking his head to look directly at Ms. Mead. She kept the gun pointed at him, but didn’t do anything.

“ _Ms. Mead_ ”, Ms. Venable repeated in a harsh voice, and turned to look at her.

I watched as Michael nodded at the older woman, who slowly shifted, and rotated so the gun was no longer pointed at Michael, but at Ms. Venable.

Ms. Mead cocked the gun, and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Ms. Venable in the chest, and I watched as Michael looked at them with a smug grin on his face as she fell to the ground and gasped for air.

“I don’t know why I did that”, I heard Ms. Mead say, and I could hear her voice wavering. “I was always loyal to her!”

Michael stood over Ms. Venable’s body and knelt down next to it.

“It’s alright”, he said quietly. “You were obeying commands, like you're programmed to do. My commands.”

He stood up and faced her.

“Did you enjoy executing the poison apples plan as much as I enjoyed coming up with it?” He said, and I could see him smiling.

“You wanted everyone dead?” I heard Ms. Mead say to him.

“I've never been a fan of getting my hands dirty,” he replied as he approached her. “Learned that from my Father. Always more fun to entice men and women to dirty deeds. Confirms what I've always believed.” 

“W-What do you believe?” I heard Ms. Mead stammering.

“That all people, if given the right pressures or stimulus”, Michael said. “Are evil motherfuckers.”

“I-I’m having trouble with this”, I heard her saying. “I know I’m just a machine, but...”

“Never say that!” Michael said to her, cutting her off. “You're not just a machine. Not to me. When I tasked The Cooperative's R&D department to have you constructed, I gave them a prototype to model.” 

“A prototype?” 

“Of someone from my childhood”, said Michael. “Someone very dear to me”. 

Ms. Mead grew quiet for a minute, then responded.

“The beautiful boy...” she said. 

“That was me”, Michael said, and even from the other side of the door, I could see it looked like he had tears in his eyes.

“But I had to keep the most important part of you hidden from your mind.”

“Why?”

“To protect you. And the plan.  But now it's time to remember it all. I lost you, and I couldn't bear it. I can't imagine a new world without you by my side. The only woman who ever really understood me.” 

Ms. Mead began to cry now as Michael bent down to hug her.

“Who ever really loved you”, she said. 

“Yes”, Michael continued. He looked over her shoulder, and looked right at the door. 

Pulling away from her, he held her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. 

“Until now”, he continued. 

“What do you mean?” I heard her say. 

“You used to be the only woman who ever truly understood or loved me”, he said. “Until now. Ms. Mead, there is another one whom I’ve fallen very deeply in love with.”

“Oh?” I heard her saying. 

_**So I guess this is the part where Michael finally tells his mother about me?**_  Was all I could think. 

Michael walked away and towards the door, opening it and looked me right in the eye.

“Come in, my love”, he said, gesturing for me to come inside. “I’m sure by now you’re tired of standing outside listening.”

**Of course he fucking knew the whole time.**

He extended his hand out and I reluctantly took it, and he closed the door behind us as he led me over to Ms. Mead. 

“I believe you two already know each other”, he said, gesturing his hand over to the older woman. “Ms. Mead. You know Barrie. I’ve only known her for a couple of weeks, but I have never felt anything like this. What I feel for her is beyond anything I could have ever imagined. She is my partner, and the love of my life. And now I want to rule this New World with both of you at my side. I can’t imagine it without either of you”. 

Ms. Mead reached up and put her hand on my cheek. 

“I always did like you”, she said to me. “You were pleasant. Never gave us any trouble. Always obeyed orders. You appear to be on the quiet side, but that’s perfectly okay. As long as you make Michael happy, that’s all that matters.”

She lowered her hand and held mine in hers. 

Michael put his hand on my shoulder and pulled me into him. 

“Not exactly how I had envisioned officially ‘meeting’ your mother figure, you know,” I said to him sarcastically. 

“No matter”, he said. “But it’s quite alright.” 

He bent his head down and attempted to kiss me, but I turned my face away from him. 

“It’s... no, Michael”, I said firmly. “It’s not fucking alright. We need...” 

I took a breath. 

“We need to have a talk. An important one. About... About the state of our relationship”. 

 

* * *

 

 

_Michael doesn’t know if he likes where this is going. Barrie’s thoughts are jumbled again, and he can’t tell what she’s getting at._

Ms. Mead looked at us and cocked her head. 

“Should I - should I leave you two alone?” She asked.

“Absolutely not!” Michael said firmly, turning to look at me. “Barrie, I hope you’re okay with the fact that anything you say, you can say in front of Ms. Mead”.

I sighed, and took Michael’s hand in mine, motioning for him to sit down on the edge of the bed with me. 

_Michael picks up her hand and holds it to his chest, intertwining his fingers with his._

I could already see what he was doing. This wasn’t going to be easy. 

_He looks at her with soft eyes and an equally soft smile._

“You aren’t helping when you look at me like that”, I said to him, honestly. 

“I can sense you aren’t thrilled with my decision, my love,” he said. “But you know I had planned it. I said to Ms. Venable on the day I arrived, that I would take all of you, or none of you. The truth is, nobody here was truthfully what I wanted. There were some who certainly fit, but in the end, they weren’t worth my time. I don’t want anyone but you, and Ms. Mead, to rule this new world by my side.”

“I already told you... I don’t want to be a queen”, I said. “I don’t really believe in marriage or anything like that. I do love you, but I don’t know if that’s what you’re asking me...”

“Not necessarily”, Michael responded. “I don’t think it’s important for us to be legally bonded to still be together and rule as such. I merely swore to myself when I decided that I wanted to be with you, that I would protect you. Just as Ms. Mead has shown me love and protection. I want to do the same for you. Until I met you, no other woman, no other  _person_ , besides Ms. Mead, has ever truly loved me. And just like her, I will never stop trusting or loving you. You’re mine. I’m yours.”

_Michael brushes his fingers along the back of her palm and holds her hand to his chest even tighter. He reaches up to wipe a tear that has fallen down her cheek, and leans in to nuzzle his face next to hers as he looks her in the eyes._

“I said this to your friend Mallory when I interviewed her”, he said to me. “The old world lived under a set of rules. ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ ‘Thou shall love thy neighbor’, etc. Rules that were clearly honored in the breach. I want a world without the hypocrisy, with the kinds of people who wouldn't just eat from the fruit of the forbidden tree, but who'd cut the  _fucking_ tree down and burn it for firewood. I felt she - Mallory - was made for this world, and I was going to take her with us. For you. I know you were thinking of asking me to bring her -“

“I was,” I said quietly. “I never brought it up. Of course you heard me thinking it. But - if you were going to bring her with us, why did you kill her?”

_Michael leans in and brushes his lips along her cheek to her ear._

_“Your dear friend Mallory”, he whispers. “Was a witch. I discovered her abilities during that interview. Likely from the very same Coven in New Orleans that murdered my original Ms. Mead.”_

My light tears became a hard sob. I didn’t care if Mallory was a witch or not.

“She - she was still my best friend here”, I said. “You know she was”. 

“I know”, Michael said, holding my face next to his now. “But it had to be done. Killing everyone was the best way to ensure it. I’m sorry... I had to”. 

“I’m overwhelmed by this”, I said, crying harder. “I do love you. And I trust you. This is just all happening so fast and it’s too much. I want to be with you, more than anything...”

_Michael sighs and leans forward to press a kiss to her forehead._

_“You still have doubts,” he says quietly. “Tell me them.”  
_

_He isn’t sure he’s ready to hear them, but knows she needs to get this out._

I took a deep breath.

“It’s not just the killing. And your path, or whatever it is. It’s honestly everything”, I said. “The way you treat me - at times, it’s too much”.

_Michael looks at her curiously._

_“What do you mean?” He asks. He can hear what she’s thinking, but isn’t quite sure he understands._

“I’m not saying I don’t appreciate it”, I said to him. “But a lot of times you act without asking me first”. 

“I always ask for your consent. It’s the first thing I consider. I know your traumas and boundaries...”

“I... don’t just mean that”, I said quietly, squeezing Michael’s hand. “I mean with everything. I said from the day you told me you loved me that communication is important to me. We talk a lot, I know we do, but a lot of times you act on things you think I want and don’t consider my feelings or thoughts on it.”

_Michael looks at her, again, with soft, sad eyes._

_ “I’m only doing what will make you happy”, he says to her. “I have the best intentions, always. Even if you don’t want to be my official queen, you are  mine , and I’m going to treat like you one”.  _

“But - But maybe I don’t want that?” I said, being completely honest. “You never asked me if that’s what I wanted out of this. It’s way too much.”

“You said you’ve never been seriously involved with anyone”, Michael said, squeezing my hand harder. “I’m learning just as much as you are.”

“Yes”, I said. “I haven’t been in one before you. I’m inexperienced - but I’m not naive. I still know what I want out of one. What I want from a relationship. From a boyfriend - a partner. A relationship is more than just dream dates in the woods and foot massages and pampering baths. It’s also trust, communication and considering my feelings before you decide to do anything on my behalf. You killed Scott and I had told you not to. You broke your promise that you wouldn’t kill anyone else - “

_Michael can feel his eyes welling up now._

_“I - I was just trying to help you”, he says, a quiver in his voice now. “Trying to avenge for you with someone who attempted to hurt you. And I did plan to poison everyone here, but I also want to protect you. Which is why I placed the protection healing spell on you - “_

I suddenly broke my fingers free from Michael’s. 

“Wait”, I said, and sat back. “You - you did  what?!”

“When we - before, with the blood”, Michael said. I couldn’t help but look at Ms. Mead out of the corner of my eye, who was still staring at us. 

“I did some incantations in my head”, he continued. “To my Father. I know you also said you were partially afraid of my abilities. I sense that you are. The spell should be permanent, unless I choose to reverse it. You will heal on your own from any injury, and you will not die either.”

“Wait - you did  _what_??!” I repeated. I stood up and faced him.

Michael reached his hand out. “I thought it was a way for us to be together without struggle”, he said. “If we were equal in ways of magical abilities. I can’t transfer everything, but I want nothing more than your full protection. What you did before - with me? That showed me that you were more than ready. You should be proud of yourself. I am so proud of you. I love you more than anything and now you share some of my abilities -“

“Michael, this is _exactly_ what I’m talking about!” I shouted at him, “You can’t just do things that you think are in my best interests without consulting me first! That’s not fucking fair to me! I dealt with that with my own family in my own life - that’s also a huge part of consent! Not just sexually...”

I couldn’t help but keep staring at Ms. Mead out of the corner of my eye.

“I think perhaps I shouldn’t be here for this part of the conversation”, she said, clearly picking up on my discomfort. 

“No! You can hear all of this”, Michael responded. 

“Consent also means that you should discuss things with me before acting on them, especially if they pertain to me!” I continued, trying hard to make my voice not that loud, but it wasn’t working. I was upset and angry now. 

_Michael is trying hard to hold back his tears, but he knows it’s not working too well._

“I’m also - “ I said, finally attempting to bring something up that had been plaguing me for a few days. “Every time we try to talk lately, it feels like you make things sexual with us to avoid talking about it. That’s only temporary. We have to work on whatever issues we have together. This is an equal partnership between us, remember? Sex won’t solve it in the long run.”

_Michael shrugs and looks at her curiously._

“To be completely fair”, he said, “I was merely taking a hint from you, my love. That night I came to comfort you? You _did_ initiate  that. I was open to discussing it, and you chose to go down that road. I did enjoy it of course, and it helped us get our frustrations out, but I simply assumed that you would get upset like you are now if I brought it up again. And since that was how you presented avoiding it, I thought that’s what you wanted. I was doing it not just for me, but to help relax you and ease your anxiety. Forgive me if I acted poorly - but the majority of my actions have been based entirely on what I thought you wanted ”.

I paused.

Michael had been acting this way lately because I was the one who put the idea in his head. 

**Well... fuck.**

Looking down at my feet, I continued to cry. Michael sat there looking at me with those same sad eyes. His bright blue hues were shiny and I could see he was still holding back tears. 

“I, uh, I realize that I don’t ultimately have a say in this”, Ms. Mead suddenly chimed in. “And I’m hardly a relationship expert myself. I’m a robot after all. But... it sounds as if you both have some issues that you need to work out that are completely outside of Michael being The Chosen One.” 

**Goddammit. For being a robot, she wasn’t wrong.**

“I - I just...” I said, trying hard to contain my emotions. “I don’t know if I can keep doing this. I do love you, but...”

_Michael doesn’t even let her finish her sentence. He’s off the bed, lunging at her on his knees, wrapping his arms around her waist and crying into her stomach._

“Please, Barrie”, he sobbed, holding me tightly. “I’ll change. I promise. I lost Ms. Mead and can’t lose you too!” 

I stood there stunned.

Ms. Mead turned and looked at us. 

“Well, you’ve made the son of the Dark Lord grovel on his knees and beg for your forgiveness”, she said. “I can’t say I ever thought I would see the day. You, dear girl - you must be something special to him.”

“She is”, Michael said below me. I couldn’t help but reach my hands down and stroke his hair. He looked up at me and shot me the sad, puppy dog eyes again. “You said before that I was your whole world. And you’re mine. I only ever did any of this for you. To please you. To make you happy. I killed Scott to avenge you, as I said, but I had planned to offer him salvation. He was not a good person. I looked at his file before I killed him - he had gone to jail for sexual assault and stalking, and only wanted to use you. Once I found out he touched you inappropriately, he was no longer a viable candidate in my eyes.”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears began streaming down my face and I gripped Michael hard against my body.

He stood up and cupped my face in his hands. 

“You - you _really_ love me, don’t you?” I asked.

“I didn’t think you doubted it”.

“I didn’t. I just...” I took a breath. “I’m still overwhelmed. By all of this. And you do need to consider my feelings before you decide to do things on my behalf. Discuss it with me first. I don’t think that’s too much to ask”. 

I stood there crying. Michael looked down at me as if he didn’t know what to do next. 

I looked over and saw Ms. Mead still staring at us out of the corner of her eye now.

“Michael”, I said. “I don’t mean to be rude, but - do you think you could turn her off somehow? I want us to be completely alone for a while.” I looked over at her. “I mean, no offense, Ms. Mead”. 

She managed to get out a small smile. 

“Do what you wish”, she said. 

Michael looked at me and back at Ms. Mead.  With a nod of his head, Ms. Mead stopped moving and stood there motionless.

Michael reached down and wrapped his long arms around me in a tight hug, and buried his head into my shoulder like he often did. He sobbed hard into the fabric of my dress, and I couldn’t help but stroke his hair and try to comfort him. 

_He holds her tighter than he even remembers ever hugging Ms. Mead. He doesn’t want to admit he’s partially afraid that if he lets her go, she’ll leave him. His hands find their way up her neck and wind themselves through the strands of her hair, holding her so close, so close. Their bodies are almost in sync. He hears her thinking similar thoughts as he is, that she’s also somewhat afraid to let him go, in fear of what will happen if she does._

_They’re denying the distance they have between them. Pulling away from each other slowly, Michael isn’t sure what to do._

_“Tell me what you want”, he says._

_She looks at him and leans in, and that distance finally becomes nonexistent - their lips are joined together. It’s soft and sensual, mouths mostly closed, only parted partially. They pull away but only briefly, heads pressing against each other’s, his blue eyes meeting her hazel ones. It’s her who pulls his face back into her and kisses him again, this time open mouthed and rougher. Michael’s hands are grasping at every part of her; his smoothness and sexual confidence is lost in favor of a rare point of uncertainty. He doesn’t want to ruin this moment between them. He wants to keep it going, but only at her bidding._

_His eyes are nearly burning from tears when, her breathing increasing as he switches from her lips to her neck on an impulse, wanting to take comfort in his favorite parts of her body. He wants to be held. He wants so much more, but only depending on what she also wants._

It was weird. Ms. Mead’s android form was standing over us, still as a statue. I knew what I wanted though. I pulled on his shirt and motioned for him to push me back against the bed, which he got the hint and followed through with.

There was no way I was doing anything without getting rid of the awkwardness of the other eyes that felt like they were watching. 

“Michael”, I whispered to him, feeling arousal building in my stomach as he kissed and sucked, alternating between gently and roughly, on both sides of my neck. 

“Yes?” He whispered, pulling away to meet my gaze. 

I pushed him away briefly. “Could you - do you think you can get rid of the body? She’s creeping me out”. 

 

 **That’s a line I never thought I would say in my lifetime**.

 

_Michael smiles at Barrie and turns his head, making another motion. She watches in part fascination and mild fear as Ms. Venable’s body sets ablaze and extinguishes, leaving a pile of ash on the floor._

_“Is that better?” He asks her, almost shyly._

_“Yes, much”, she says as she wraps her hands around his neck. “And one more thing - I know she’s turned off, but her eyes are creeping me out too... Ms. Mead... I’m sorry, but it feels like your mother is watching us. I guess she kind of is?”_

_Michael laughs, and then thinks that he hadn’t even considered what she was saying until this very second. He now feels strange about it himself, and with a motion of his palm, his jacket is off and covering Ms. Mead’s upper half completely._

_“That’s more like it”, Barrie says, and she consumes his mouth once more._

_Michael has every part of her body practically committed to memory by now. Even when he’s discovered something new, he makes a mental note of it and locks it away, wanting to remember it for later. Whenever he hears her thinking her thoughts of low self esteem (and she has them often, especially during more physically intimate moments), he tries to console her, either by verbalizing it, or shifting his focus on whichever part of her she’s feeling insecure about. Everything she dislikes about herself, Michael actually loves. He takes comfort in holding her close, touching every dip, every curve, every swell, every inch of skin._

_Her back pressed against the sheets of his bed, and him on top of her, their lips cascading over each other. Michael isn’t sure if he should make a move to take things any further. He doesn’t act beyond kissing every inch of her face and neck, and she reciprocates to him. He knows she’s unsure of how far she wants to take this at the moment, given that they’re both still reeling emotionally from the conversation they just had, and Barrie is still dealing with the aftermath of finding everyone downstairs dead and watching Ms. Venable get shot. What’s happening now is a physical reaction to an overly emotional period for them both._

_He doesn’t act on anything. Not until he feels her lips sucking hard on the skin of his neck, and her teeth biting down gently._

_He leans in and whispers next to the shell of her ear -_

_“Tell me what you want. I’m not going any further until you say you want this”._

_He gets his answer when she sits up slightly under him and reaches around her back, unzipping her uniform._

“ _M- make love to me, Michael, please, make love to me,” she says with a quiver in her voice, her eyes wet and red, but he can see the honesty in them._

_“Are you sure?” He asks._

_“I’ve never been more sure of anything”._

_Her uniform is discarded, and Michael is briefly surprised as she is completely sans any undergarments, having momentarily forgotten that she threw it on without them when they were interrupted earlier by the sounds of death downstairs. His own clothes are off almost instantly, as he first takes the top half off slowly, but manually, before remembering he can finish the rest off with his magic. Both sets of clothing are shoved aside and kicked off the bed in a matter of seconds._

_Michael flips her over and Barrie settles herself on his chest, both of them having grown to love this position the most, and frankly, it’s the easiest for them given their height difference. He takes this as slowly as he ever has with her, leaning up to kiss her tenderly along her collarbones and make his way down the valley between her breasts, simply resting his head on them for a moment._

_He thinks to himself at how massively turned on it made him earlier when she asserted herself, deciding what she wanted and fully calling the shots. But he senses how emotionally defeated she is at present - he knows that the current scenario is wanting comfort and connection. He wants it just as much._

_His palms find themselves running down her sides to her hips and grips her ass as its positioned over his thighs, his sexual impulses on overdrive and indecisive about where he wants to touch her first. He finally decides to bring them up and runs his palms over her breasts, but not for long before he takes one in his mouth and swirls his tongue across her areola, eager to spend some time on them that she didn’t allow him to earlier. He takes his time - softly kissing, gently tweaking each nipple between his thumb and forefinger, wrapping his lips and suckling at them as they harden, listening to the echo of her quiet moans. His hands drag themselves over her ribs and torso, and his fingers find themselves moving downward to caress her thighs as she straddles him and grips tightly at his hair._  

“I - I don’t know if I have it in me again to be like I was before”, I whispered to him, as Michael continued to focus his attention on my breasts. “I’m too tired to be in control...”

Michael looked up from my chest and looked me right in the eye.

“This is more than okay, my love”, he said quietly, leaning forward and gently kissing my lips. “I  want to take this slow. I want to make sure you know how loved you are.”

I could feel my eyes welling up and a tear dropped from my eye, which Michael wiped away.

“None of that”, he said in a low voice. “You’re with me. I’m with you. Let’s just enjoy this.”

He suddenly flipped me over again and worked his lips down my stomach, over my naval, and much like he always did, his next move was to drag his fingers and his lips through the insides of both my thighs. 

“I’m sorry I forced you to do this earlier”, I said, feeling a slight pang of guilt as he continued to kiss my inner thigh and spread my legs.

Michael looked up at me from between my legs.

“Hush”, he said quietly. “I did it more than willingly. I will never say no to this, ever. You know I would do it for hours if you asked me to”. 

I laughed to myself. Michael’s stamina was still something I needed to get used to. 

“Let’s not go that far,” I said, giggling. “But, I think you should for a while at least”. 

_And with that, Michael’s teasing becomes a full blown assault_.

I could feel him bury his tongue inside me, licking slowly and furiously, alternating between both. He pulled away for a second to lick his index and middle fingers before sliding them in and resuming his mouth on me. He descended further and curled his fingers upwards...

_Michael shifts his fingers a certain way and finds that spongey spot again. The spot he still somehow has only found a couple of times. Now that he’s located it, he knows exactly what to do - he presses down, and at the same time, wraps his lips around her clit and sucks..._

_Her legs suddenly close tightly around him once again, and wrap themselves around his back as she thrusts into his mouth. Her moaning is possibly louder than its ever been; he switches between sucking her clit and licking it teasingly with the lightest possible touch._

_ **You fucking teasing bastard,**  he hears her thinking, loud enough for him to smirk even with his mouth pressed against her soaking wet lower lips, which he swears he has never tasted anything better.  _

_He also hears her thinking, that she knows they’re taking it slow. But she also wants something else...  
_

_Michael looks up at her through her legs._

_“Oh”, he says with a sultry voice. “I didn’t realize you actually liked when I did that. I thought you just tolerated_ _it...?”_

_She looks at him._

_“Michael- yes”, she says, her breath hitched. “Will you please - please... go lower? I actually love it. I was just too embarrassed to say...”_

_He laughs to himself that she’s also clearly embarrassed to say it out loud, but he knows._

_He shoots her a smirk, and flips her over again, his fingers now massaging the soft skin of her ass. Michael leans in and softly plants kisses on each cheek, lifting her up by her hips and licks a long stripe from her slit up right to the hole. His usual teasing is switched in favor of flicking his tongue repeatedly inside her ass, and he adds to it by licking his finger and brushing it inside her entrance and her clit, ever so lightly._

_She rides out her orgasm as Michael holds her hip tightly with his free hand, savoring every bit of her wetness as he flips her back over and feels her spasms around his tongue and lips. When she lays there on her panting, he’s more than pleased with himself._

_He’s hard as a rock. He waits for her to say it’s okay for him to proceed._

 

I laid there on my back, breathing heavily, coming down, and feeling Michael’s lips still brushing the insides of my thighs and my calves. He peered up at me through my legs, his eyes looking at me. 

“Michael”, I said. “I want... you inside...” 

I didn’t have to finish my sentence. He crawled up my body, and I felt him sliding in, almost agonizingly slow, and fairly unlike him. Once he was mostly inside, he stopped and looked down at me, gazing right into my eyes and pressed his forehead against mine. 

“I know what you’re thinking”, he said, reaching up to brush some hair out of my eyes. “I just want to feel you. Like I did in our dream. I stayed inside you for a bit after...” I could see his eyes starting to well up. 

I hadn’t ever done anything like this before. 

“Just stay like this”, he said, leaning down and softly kissing my lips and under my ears. “For a while. Please?” 

I could feel his hand lace his fingers through mine. My free hand went up and my fingers wound themselves through his hair. He buried his head into my shoulder and I could hear him sniffling. 

_Michael tries his best to not move. He wants to try and stay like this as long as possible. He knows if she moves, he’ll get the urges to thrust and give them both pleasure. He can sense she’s trying to stay as still as possible. His eyes shift back to meet hers, as if by having her concentrate on his face, she’ll be able to focus. For once, he’s trying to control his impulses and resist his urges to change positions when his mood strikes him._

_They lay like that, just holding each other, Michael inside her. He can’t stay much longer - he’ll lose his erection, and she wants something out of this as well._

_Then something completely unexpected happens._

_She reaches up and touches his face._

_“Can we?” She asks him quietly, and Michael takes the hint, finally beginning to roll his hips and thrust into her. Barrie moans into his ear, and her lips caressing his earlobes, she whispers:_

“ _Don’t pull out this time. I want - I want you to cum inside me. For_ _ real”.  _

_Michael looks at her, his eyebrows furrowed in mild confusion. But the look on her face shows how serious she is._

_She hooks her leg around his waist and raises her hips as he continues thrusting, her hands rubbing the back of his neck, taking comfort in each of their bodies and their lips pressed hard against each other’s. Michael slips one of his hands between their crotches and takes his finger, and his square jeweled ring, and brings it to her her clit, wanting to intensify this for her. That does it. Her walls clench and spasm around him tightly, and she moans so loud, he wonders if she’s notified the cannibals outside the Outpost barriers.  
_

_Not long after, it’s Michael’s turn, and he still isn’t sure if he wants to. But he knows she wants this - he knows how badly she wants this. He hears her thinking about the “what if’s”. But, she also wants to be close to him. So close. She wants to feel closer to him than they ever have.  
_

_His thrusting becomes sloppier, and he grips tightly to her shoulders. His lips are latched on to hers as if he’s grasping for dear life, like he’s caught in the sea during a storm._

I watched as Michael’s mouth opened and his eyes squeezed shut above me. I could feel his cock twitching and the sensation of him pulsing and coming completely undone. 

My mind was racing a million miles per hour. **What’s going to come of this? Am I ready for it? Am I ready to deal with the consequences? Oh fuck, am I really ready?!**

I didn’t know anything other then I wanted, needed, to feel him, not in a dream, but for real. 

_Michael finishes and lays on top of Barrie’s small body. Panting, sweating, his arms holding her tightly. Her legs are still wrapped around his. He doesn’t pull out yet, letting his erection go soft while he’s still inside. They stare at each other. Just stare. He senses that she doesn’t know what to say. She’s crying now; so is he._

_What ends up happening is they both whisper quiet, breathy “I love you’s”, at the exact same time. Both end up giggling at the coincidence as Michael finally decides to pull out and rolls off of her. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he reaches over and wraps his long arms around her small torso, softly kissing her face and neck. He presses their foreheads together, gently kisses her closed eyelids and rubs his nose against hers._

_“Stay with me”, he says softly. “We’ll work on anything we need to. I just don’t want you to leave.”_

I sighed, and leaned in to kiss Michael’s lips gently.

“I’m not leaving you”, I said. “I love you. I really do. For better or for worse. I’m stuck with you”.

 

We laid together silent for a short time, before Michael decided to get up and get out of bed. He snapped his fingers and was fully clothed, and he allowed me to get changed back into my uniform. When I finished, he pulled his jacket off her and nodded. Ms. Mead moved again.

“I take it you two worked things out”, she said, clearly noticing me putting my shoes on and that the bed was turned down. 

“Sort of”, I said as I tied the laces. “I-we- we’re going to figure things out. Somehow”. 

“So, what now?” She said as Michael slipped the jacket back on. 

“The woman I modeled you after”, Michael said, kneeling down in front of her. “She was the closest thing I had to a mother”. 

I sat off to the side and listened as Michael repeated the same story he had told me the first night I spent in his room about them sitting down to breakfast when he was a teenager. 

“She made me feel happy and protected.  So you can understand why I gave you her form and her thoughts. I need someone to help me with the monumental task of remaking this world. Who better than the one person I never stopped trusting or loving? I need you, both of you now”. 

Ms. Mead looked at the side of Michael’s coat. I noticed a spot of now dried blood on the velvet fabric.

“Your jacket is stained”, she said. 

“So it is”, Michael said, taking it off and placing it on the side next to his trunk. “There’s another one in the dresser”.

I watched as Ms. Mead walked to the wall dresser and opened it, taking out a red velvet jacket. She brought it back over and I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I watched her help him put it on, gently pulling his hair out of it and letting it flow down his back.

“What do you think?” He said to her, and also nodded to me. 

I simply smiled at him and figured he was reading my thoughts anyway. 

“Hail Satan”, Ms. Mead said.

“Not quite”, Michael responded. “But I appreciate the sentiment. Ms. Mead... I do believe you’re glowing!”

I looked over at her and saw her smiling wide.

“For the first time, I feel I know my place in the world”, she said. “By your side.”

I walked over to them and Michael slid his arm around me, pulling me in and kissed the side of my head.

“I’m so happy to have you both with me”, he said. “My two favorite people in the world”. 

**I suppose this is a fucked up happy family of some kind, was all I could think** , and I could see Michael smirking at me even though I wasn’t looking directly at him. 

The happy moment didn’t last much longer. Michael’s smile suddenly turned into a look of concern, and he glanced around the room. 

“What is it?” Ms. Mead asked. 

“Michael, do you sense something?” I asked him as well. 

“A powerful presence”, he replied. 

“What do you mean?” Asked Ms. Mead. “Everyone’s dead”.

“Not anymore...”

 

**Uh oh.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, this story has technically come to an end...
> 
> The final battle.

I reluctantly followed Michael and Ms. Mead out of his room and down the hall.

As we approached the balcony and stairs heading to the main foyer, I had to stop in my tracks and catch my breath.

Standing below us, were a handful of women. Three of them, I knew...

Mallory. Coco. Dinah. They were alive. Standing there, as if nothing had happened before.

They were joined by three other women I didn’t recognize. One tall, with mid length blonde hair. An older woman, with large black rimmed glasses, and equally large and frizzy red hair. And a younger woman, probably in her early to mid 20’s, also with longer, straight blonde hair. 

Michael took my hand and held it tightly. 

“Ah, they have arrived,” he whispered to me. “The witches.”

I paused as we walked forward and stood over the balcony. 

“Cordelia?” I asked him, still clutching his hand.

Michael looked down at me. 

“Indeed,” he said, and I could feel his fingers caressing mine. “The taller blonde woman, that is my greatest adversary, Cordelia Goode. The younger blonde is Madison Montgomery - I retrieved her from her personal Hell to prove to them I was worthy of taking the test of the Seven Wonders. Never caught the red headed woman’s name though.”

The three of us descended down to the top of the stairs as I heard Dinah speaking to everyone below us;

“You’re on your own with that shit!” She said, surprising me, as she usually never cursed. “I’m not here to defeat anyone.”

“How can any of you defeat me... when I’ve already won?” 

Michael let go of my hand and stood beside Ms. Mead, as he addressed everyone below us. 

Cordelia stepped forward. 

“You haven’t won,” she said.

Michael spoke again. “Perhaps you haven’t noticed the state of the world.”

“It’s almost as bad as your dinner jacket,” the woman with red hair quipped. “But at least the world can be saved.”

“By you?” Michael asked. 

“By all of us,” Cordelia said. 

“Hey, get the wax out of your ears, I’m here to watch!” Dinah spoke up.

“But I’m not!” Coco stepped forward. “... Just don’t let me die again, okay? That really sucked the first time.”

“When I’m done, you’ll all wish you were still dead!” Michael beckoned to everyone. 

“I always thought the world would end with fire and ice,” the redhead spoke again. “Not witches and warlocks.”

“The seventh seal has been broken,” said Michael, holding out his arms. “Wormwood has fallen from the sky and turned the rivers to blood and fire! The bottomless pit has been opened and my swarms of locusts and scorpions have ravaged humanity. The world has been remade in my Father’s image.”

I silently stood behind Michael, before unintentionally stepping out without thinking. 

“Wait,” I heard Coco say. “B-Barrie? Is that you?” She looked up at me, clearly confused. “What are you doing up there with Langdon?” 

“Oh,  _fuck_!” I heard Mallory say. 

Coco turned at looked at her. 

“Mallory, what haven’t you told me?!” She asked.

“I - I, I promised I wouldn’t say anything,” she said, looking down at the floor. 

“Mallory!” Cordelia turned to her and repeated. “What’s going on? Who is this person?”

“That’s Barrie,” Coco said. “She lives and works here. Her and Mallory are friends. But... something tells me she’s got an allegiance elsewhere?”

Michael reached out and took my hand.

“Her allegiance lies with me!” He said. “Barrie is mine. My lover. My partner. She is going to rule this world at my side!” 

“Well, I mean... we didn’t exactly decide on that,” I said. “We’re still sort of working things out...” 

Michael looked at me and raised his eyebrows. 

“Barrie...” Mallory said, and I could see her crying. 

Michael squeezed my hand hard. He leaned forward and I felt his lips graze my ear. 

“Please, stand back,” he said quietly. “Personally speaking, I _love_ a good witch fight. But I don’t want you to...” 

I didn’t allow him to finish. 

“Michael,” I said, cutting him off. “I - I love you. I really do. I’m - I’m sorry.”

I let go of his hand and ran downstairs. Mallory, still sitting on the floor, opened her arms and I kneeled down, hugging her tightly. 

“What did you do?” She asked me quietly. 

“I - I don’t know,” I said. Tears were forming in my eyes. Letting go from Mallory’s embrace, I turned to look up at Michael. His face was scrunched up and it looked as if he was fighting back tears. 

“Darling, it seems Daddy didn't tell you the most important rule of bringing on the Apocalypse,” the red haired woman said to him. “If you want to finish the job, the thing you have to do first is get rid of all the witches.”

“ _Big_ mistake...,” Coco piped up.

Michael looked very angry now.

“I could annihilate all of you in a second, and the world would go on without missing a beat!” His voice boomed. “You and all of your work will be forgotten in the rubble of the past. But I want to give you a future. Fall to your knees and accept me as your lord and savior, and I will bring you to the table as my obedient subjects.” 

“Imbeciles!” shouted Ms. Mead. “Fall to your knees before the king! Hail Satan!” 

Cordelia looked up at Michael.

“The only way we would sit at your table is if your decapitated head were the centerpiece!” she stated. 

Dinah suddenly walked in front and approached Cordelia.

“Cordelia, you raised me from the dead so that you would have the power of voodoo on your side,” she said. “But if you know anything about who I am,” Dinah continued. “You know that the only choice I'd pick, would be the winner.”

She walked in front of Michael and my assumption was that she was going to join his side.

“You’re half right, Dinah,” Cordelia said. 

“She needed the help of a powerful voodoo queen,” a voice spoke up from behind us. 

I turned around and from the other end of the foyer, a taller black woman with long braids approached us and walked over to Dinah.

“But that ain’t you, _sis_!” She said to her.

“Who is that?” I whispered to Mallory. 

“Marie Laveau,” she whispered back. “Cordelia’s told me about her. Former Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. There was a rivalry between her and my Coven back in 2013, and apparently there was an allegiance formed with Fiona, Cordelia’s mother. She died and has been in Hell as a torturer since then - I guess Cordelia figured they needed to bring in outside help.”

“To release me from Hell,” Marie said to Dinah. “Cordelia promised Papa Legba the darkest and most corrupt voodoo queen's soul for mine. You'll serve him well in my place.”

“You're a fool, Marie Laveau,” said Dinah. 

“You would have done no different if you were queen.”

“No!” Marie said, and suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Dinah, slashing her throat with a knife. I covered my mouth in shock as I watched Dinah fall to the floor, dying a second time.

Marie tossed her hair behind her head. “Out with the trash,” she stated, looking down at Dinah’s body. “Give Papa my regards!”

I didn’t have a chance to react, as I saw Ms. Mead pull her hand off her body, revealing what looked like a thin, black machine gun. 

_ What the fuck?! _

Cordelia stepped forward and spoke in what I assumed was Latin, reciting an incantation. I looked up at the stairs and saw Ms. Mead suddenly shaking violently and her face stretching, possibly short circuiting. 

“Ms. Mead?” Michael asked her, and I stood back and watched as Ms. Mead’s Android form exploded and sent Michael flying over the railing of the stairs. I resisted the urge to run over to him, knowing he would be able to heal if he was injured, but my face fell as I watched him holding Ms. Mead’s robotic head, with white fluid leaking out of the neck. He looked as if he was going to cry as he held her head, lying on the floor taking deep breaths on his back, and I also resisted my urge to run and comfort him as he finally stood up. 

“Madison!” Shouted the red haired woman, and I watched as the younger blonde girl, Madison, crawled across the floor and grabbed Ms. Mead’s machine gun arm. She pointed it at Michael once she stood up and he turned around to face her. 

“Sorry about your little toy, bitch!” She said to him and I horrifically watched as she fired a number of rounds directly into Michael. He fell to the floor covered in blood and his clothes torn from bullet holes, and my eyes welled up. 

Mallory noticed immediately. 

“No,” she said to me, squeezing my hand. “I don’t think that worked. It was just a distraction. He isn’t dead...”

Remembering that Michael couldn’t die, I held back my tears.

“Everyone,” she said. “This is Barrie. She’s my friend. She’s good, believe me.”

“Uh, I think we need to have a conversation about what qualifies as ‘good’ right now,” Coco said, stepping forward and standing directly in front of me. “So... let me get this straight. You and Langdon have been _romantically_ involved? For how long?”

“S-since he first came here,” I stuttered nervously. 

“I can’t  _fucking_ believe this!” She shouted. “Mallory, why did you even entertain this?!”

Mallory stood up and pushed me behind her. “Don’t put this on her!” She said to Coco. “I didn’t know any better myself at first, and honestly, I know this sounds ridiculous, but I’ve seen the way they interact. Michael genuinely cares about her. It’s fucked up, I know, but it’s not her fault. Don’t blame her, please.”

Cordelia stepped forward and put her hand on my cheek.

“Mallory is right,” she said. “It’s not your fault. Michael clearly put you under his spell and you didn’t know any better. But you need to understand, he’s too powerful, and he’s dangerous.”

“I - I know,” I said, feeling the tears coming. “But I - I love him.”

“Oh, _shit,”_  Coco said, and I saw her running her palm over her face. “Well, we’ve got a problem here.” 

The red haired woman approached me, holding out her hand.

”We have not been properly introduced, my dear,” she said. “I’m Myrtle Snow. Lovely to meet you. Despite what anyone else might think, any friend of Mallory is a friend and ally to me.”

I then watched as Myrtle ran to his body and grabbed a lock of his hair, bringing it back to Mallory as she stood up with me.

The younger blonde girl, Madison, still holding the machine gun, walked over and stood in front of me.

“Look,” she said. “Barrie, is it?”

“Yes,” I said, wiping my tears away.

“I understand exactly what you’re going through,” she said. “You, Mallory and Coco were stuck here for a year and a half. I heard there were rules about no sex happening. So, I totally get it - Michael’s charming, he’s charismatic, and frankly, he’s gorgeous. He’s a snack. I mean, I even offered to blow him when I first met him because I was in Hell and was horny...”

“ _Madison_!” Myrtle shouted again, and everyone glared at her. 

“Hey, I’m sorry!” Madison said in defense. “I didn’t know he was the fucking Antichrist at the time!” 

“What happened before doesn’t matter!” Cordelia said. She continued to look at me. “Listen very carefully to me, Barrie. I very much believe that you’re a good person. I’m not faulting you for loving Michael, if that’s truly the case. I believed at one time he had good in him. He had humanity in him. I gave him a chance to come find his goodness, but he refused. He was hell bent on revenge against us, and destroyed the world for it.”

“I know all this,” I said. “When I found out, I was furious. I’m torn up about the whole thing, if I’m being completely honest. I don’t love that aspect - I’m not totally devoid of all empathy and feelings besides my own. My entire family and everyone I’ve ever known is dead! But, aside from Mallory, I had no one here. Michael and I had a connection - it’s every sort of messed up, but we fell in love. It happened. I won’t apologize for my feelings.”

Cordelia sighed. 

“I’m not blaming you for anything,” she said. “This is absolutely _not_ your fault. I understand. I don’t agree with it, but I understand.”

She reached out and held my hand.

“That all being said,” she said quietly. “We have found a way to hopefully reverse the apocalypse. We need Mallory and all our sisters for it, although Mallory is the key.”

“Wait,” I said. “You can make it so that none of this ever happened?” I caught my breath. “So... that would mean, Michael and I would have never met?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Cordelia continued. “Not only that, I hope you realize that he very well may have to die, and for real this time.”

I didn’t have a chance to protest, as Cordelia and everyone crowded around Mallory.  Myrtle handed the lock of Michael’s hair to her. 

“A personal item,” she said. “Remember, dear. Focus on it. Use it to locate a time and place early in Michael's life. Shed the ego.”

Crowding around Mallory, she bowed her head and they all began chanting again. 

“That’s our girl!” Myrtle said.

Cordelia came back over to me, but approached Madison instead.

“Bullets alone won't kill him,” she said to her. “He's become too powerful. We have to find a place to cast the spell before he wakes up.”

“I’ll hold him off as long as I can!” Madison said. “Go!” 

“You’ve got this!” Cordelia said, and she and all the other women ran up the stairs to the balcony. Before I had a chance to say anything, Mallory grabbed my hand. 

“Come with me!” She said, and pulled me up the stairs as we followed everyone. I let go of her hand, and hung back on the balcony, peering over and looking at Michael’s bloody, lifeless body propped up against the wall. 

Mallory was suddenly being pulled away by Cordelia and Myrtle, and Coco grabbed me and took me aside. 

“Look, I’m sorry I just grilled you like that,” she said quietly. “I don’t hate you, you know. If anything, I’m also a little jealous I wasn’t kept in the loop about all this. We were under an identity spell this entire time, Mallory and I. She was never my assistant. We came here undercover right before the apocalypse. I don’t hate her either - she’s actually my best friend.”

“Wait,” I said. “She’s your best friend?”

“Yes,” Coco said. “And I’m not the heartless bitch I appear to be. Cordelia, when she put the spell on us, gave me Madison’s personality.”

“That explains a lot,” I said. I hadn’t known Madison for that long, but I could already see it.

“I think I owe you another apology,” Coco said to me. “I - I was jealous of that too. Of your friendship with Mallory. You two got so close,  and...”

“Don’t worry about it, Coco,” I said to her, and reached forward to to hug her. “You’re my friend, too.”

“Thank you,” she said to me. “I know if this time apocalypse reversal happens, it’s super unlikely we’ll ever meet. But if we do, I would love to hang out and be your friend for real. Just don’t leave me out of the hot gossip next time, ok?” She laughed and I managed to smile. 

“You’re also forgiven for attempting to seduce my boyfriend,” I said jokingly. “But you didn’t realize that it wasn’t him. So, you’re forgiven.”

Coco looked at me seriously. 

“Oh come on, that was a joke!” I said, hugging her again. 

Our heartwarming moment was interrupted, as we saw a dark figure dressed in black run past us. I looked closely and it was a man, who’s head was half bald and his face covered with lesions and tumors.

“Holy shit, it’s Brock!” Coco said, and held me aside.

“Brock?” I said curiously. “Wait... your ex-boyfriend?!”

“He’s alive!” She said. “He found us, snuck in here, found me at the party and then shoved a fucking knife through my head!” 

_The masked figure in black she left the party with..._

Not sure where to go, I broke free from Coco and followed Brock up the stairs, and gasped as I caught up with him, watching in horror as he stabbed Mallory with the same knife. Cordelia went to her and Coco caught up to me, holding me back.

“I should have been on that plane!” Brock shouted at Mallory as she fell to the floor.

“Mallory!” Shouted Myrtle. “What have you done, you cretin?!”

“It’s payback, bitch!” Brock said loudly. “I serve it cold!”

“Well, I like it hot!” Myrtle shouted back. “ _Ignis!”_

I watched in equal horror as Brock suddenly burst into flames, and fell over the balcony. I ran and looked over, watching his charred and burned body hitting the floor below us, right near where Michael was laying. 

About to run to Mallory, I became distracted when I suddenly saw Michael’s body moving. The blood spilled underneath him on the floor magically pulled back up into him, and he stood up.

Madison, watching Brock’s body, froze as Michael walked up behind her.

“Oh,  fuck!” She said. “I guess it’s back to retail.” 

She turned around and faced him, pointing the gun at him. Michael opened his palm and held it out, and I gasped, biting my lip as Madison’s head exploded, her now bloody body falling to the floor. 

Looking down, I saw Michael crack his neck and looked back over down the hall. Mallory was lying on the floor, blood coming out of her mouth. Cordelia and Myrtle were both on the floor with her, and I ran to them. Cordelia was blowing softly into her face.

“Mallory!” I shouted, bending down to them. “What are you doing, Cordelia?! She needs help...”

“She _is_ trying to help,” Myrtle said to me. “Cordelia has the power to bring Mallory’s life force back.”

I then heard the unmistakable sound of thick soles on metal, realizing Michael was coming up the stairs. I wasn’t sure why he didn’t just transmutate, but I also wasn’t surprised - the bastard lived for dramatic entrances. I knew him well enough to know that by now. 

For the first time in a while, I was legitimately terrified. I had left his side and gone to Mallory instead. There was no doubt in my mind that he would be angry, and the chances of me getting out of this alive were slim to none, seeing what he had done to Madison.

“He’s coming!” I heard Marie shouting, and turned to see her in the doorway of the hall. “Get her out of here!” She pointed to Mallory. “No matter what happens, it’s better than where I was!”

Cordelia turned to me. 

“Barrie, do you think you can talk to him somehow?” She asked, with more than a hint of worry in her voice. 

“Honestly, I’m as scared as you all are right now!” I said. “Michael’s impulsive as fuck, and quick to turn on anyone who wrongs him. I knew that from the moment he told me what he was. I’m clearly in as much danger as you all are. I don’t think he’ll listen to me, especially after I turned away from him before. I’m worried for Mallory, and myself, and all of you.”

“Then go and hide!” She said, very firmly. “He has a personal vendetta against me and the rest of us witches, but what he does with you, I couldn’t say. If he truly does love you as you say he does, he might spare you, but he won’t spare us. Go hide regardless. We’ll take care of Mallory, trust me.”

I reached down and squeezed Mallory’s hand. 

“Go!” Cordelia shouted at me, and she and Myrtle grabbed her by the legs and dragged her away. 

I followed Marie back down the hall and stood behind her, watching as Michael strutted down the hall, in his typical dramatic fashion. ( _I_   _knew it._ )

Marie began speaking an incantation and also began to pour some kind of powder on the floor around her in a circle as Michael approached her. 

“You will not pass!” She said to him, and I noticed Michael stopping suddenly as he stood directly in front of her.

“You’re dealing with the HBIC now!” She said to him.

Michael smirked. “You really think your stupid voodoo spells can stop me?” He said, and without warning, he plunged his hand directly into her chest. 

I clasped my hand over my mouth and tried not to scream, watching helplessly as Marie stood in shock, Michael’s hand still lodged in her chest.

“Is that all you’ve got?” He asked her, and I noticed Coco walking up behind him.

“Not... exactly...” Marie gasped in pain, and Coco immediately shoved Brock’s knife into Michael’s back.

“Die again, _fuckface_!” She shouted, shoving it in as deep as it could go. 

But Michael simply turned to Coco, his fingertip touching the knife that was now poking out of his own chest.

“Normally that would work...” he said smugly, pulling his other hand completely out of Marie’s chest while holding her heart, and she fell to the floor lifeless.

“But I’m nothing like normal,” he continued. His hand covered in blood, held the heart to his lips and took a bite out of it. Coco stood there frozen. Michael snapped his fingers, and her head turned, her neck snapping.

I ran off to the side and cowered in the corner, watching in horror as Coco’s now lifeless body fell to the ground, again dying a second time. Michael cracked his neck once again, looking more annoyed than anything else as he pulled the knife she had shoved into him out of his back, grunting as if he was tired of this. 

I wasn’t hidden for longer than maybe a few minutes when Michael appeared in front of me, holding the very knife he had just pulled out of his back. 

He stared down at me. I stared back at him, tears falling from my eyes and my heart racing. 

“Come out, Barrie,” He said to me. “You can’t hide. I sense wherever you go.”

“Go ahead,” I spat at him, my voice quivering. “I trusted you. I... I _loved_ you,  and thought you loved me. Do it. Just get it over with.”

“What do you mean?” Michael cocked his head and asked. “I _do_ love you! What do you think I’m going to do?” 

“Bullshit! I’m waiting for you to kill me,” I said between sobs. “Rip my heart out of my chest and eat it, like you just did to Marie Laveau’s. Snap my neck like you did to Coco just now. Do whatever you want, just make it quick so I don’t have to think about it.” 

I was so scared, I barely knew what to say. I just wanted it to be over, even if that meant Michael ending my life quickly.

But Michael did nothing. He merely stood there gazing at me, his face covered in streaks of his own blood, his mouth from Marie’s heart. His eyes were shiny and he looked as if he was going to cry.

After what seemed like an eternity, he stepped forward, and extended his hand out to me. A tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it away quickly. 

“Y-you r-really expect me to t-take your hand?” I stuttered. 

“Take it, Barrie,” he said firmly, even though his voice was somewhat shaky. “Please.”

He dropped the knife to the floor, reached down and grabbed my hand, forcing me up so I was facing him. I stood in front of him, my entire body shaking in fear. 

Unexpectedly, Michael cupped my face with his hands, leaned down and kissed me deeply. I instinctively gave in to the kiss, although I was terrified that any minute, he would summon the knife and shove it into me. But... he didn’t. I still imagined it to be a goodbye kiss. 

“Barrie,” he said in nearly a whisper after pulling away. “I know what you’re thinking. I know you’re afraid, but that was meant to be a reassuring kiss, not a goodbye one. I’m not going to hurt you, I swear it. I don’t plan on eating any part of you. Well, except for one spot, which I certainly can arrange for later if you wish when this is all over,” he smirked. 

“You’re not going to kill me?” I said in surprise. “B-but - I, I chose to go to Mallory instead of standing by your side. I betrayed you...”

“No, you actually didn’t,” he said. “If anything, I betrayed  _you_ by not telling you my purpose sooner, by hiding what I truly was from you for so long. I still believe you deserve someone far better than me, and yet, you still chose me. I would never harm a single hair on your head, and would snap the neck of anyone who dare try, but absolutely not you. I love you more than anything. You’re the only thing I have in this world. I want you to know that.” He pulled me close to him and stroked my back.

Something inside me knew he was telling the truth. 

“The only thing I wish is for you to be my side as my Father has given me the world,” he added. “I will give you everything He has given me.”

“Please, Michael,” I said as I sobbed into his chest. “Just end this. No more killing. Just stop, and let’s leave here together. I don’t care if there’s no Sanctuary. I’ll go with you, wherever you want to go. As long as we’re together, I’ll go with you to the ends of the Earth.”

“Of course I plan on taking you with me,” he said. “But... I need to finish what I started. I swore vengeance a long time ago. I  am going to watch Cordelia Goode and her the rest of her little witch friends die, and then you and I can leave and be together forever.” 

“Michael, please...” I pleaded with him. “Just let them go. They don’t see what I see in you. Cordelia told me she once saw humanity in you. Well, I  do see it. You have good in you. It’s hidden, but it’s there. I know it is. Please, Michael. Just end this and let’s go.”

Michael stared at me and leaned in for another kiss as he continued to stroke my back. “I’m sorry, my love,” he said into my ear. “I can’t do that. I swore this to myself a long time ago. I’m so close to my end game. I can’t stop now.”

He wiped away some of my tears and spoke again. 

“Remember the protection spell I’ve placed on you,” he whispered. “No harm will come to you. If you are injured in any way, you will heal almost instantaneously. You are the only thing in this world that matters to me, and I would hate myself until my dying day if I was responsible for anything that may come to you. My Father will look out for you. Forever.”

“Michael,” I said quietly, still continuing to sob. But it was no use. He was stubborn and dead set on revenge. 

He pulled away from me and took a step back.

“Go and hide in one of the bedrooms”, he said, putting his arms to the side and opening his palm. The knife levitated off the floor and landed in his hand. “I’ll come find you when this is finished, and we can leave whenever you like. Just say the word. Now go, and hide.”

He turned away and continued down the hall. 

“Michael, no,  _please_!!!” I cried out to him, but he was already well out of earshot. 

I didn’t know what else to do, so I followed him. 

 

 

After running for some time, I turned a corner and came upon Cordelia and Myrtle in the library again, holding Mallory inside the barrel of water where the apples had been, chanting some incantations at her.

“Come on, Mallory, please!” Cordelia pleaded with her, and I could hear her sobbing. “You can do this!”

She turned to Myrtle. “It’s not working!” She said. “She’s not strong enough!” 

“I’m sorry, Cordelia,” Mallory squeaked, her voice low. She looked very pale, and I could tell she was losing a lot of blood. 

“Oh God, Mallory!” I shouted at them, and came over to Cordelia, squeezing her other hand. 

Mallory looked up and me and smiled, before her eyes rolled back into her head. 

“No, no, no! Look at me!” Cordelia said to her, cupping her face in her hands. She cried out in frustration, cradling her head.

Mallory’s head fell over and her eyes closed. I began sobbing profusely and Cordelia slid her arm around me, allowing me to cry into her shoulder. I looked up and saw her looking at Myrtle. 

“It appears as though we’re fucked, my dear,” Myrtle said to her. 

Cordelia took her arm off me and looked at me now. 

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice quivering. “Michael spared my life, as you said he would. But, I tried to talk him out of this. He won’t budge. There’s nothing even I can do. I love him, but I hate what he’s done to all of you. I tried my best... I’m so sorry...”

Cordelia put her hand on my cheek. 

“You did _nothing_ wrong!” She repeated. “I don’t want you thinking that. You may love Michael, but it’s clear you also care for Mallory a great deal. Enough that you tried to help us, even though you don’t know any of us. I’m so sorry you got caught up in this.”

“I told him I just wanted a normal relationship,” I sobbed. “But, I guess it’s just like he said. He’s nothing like normal. I tried. I do love him, but I can’t do anything to stop this.”

Cordelia held her arms out and hugged me tightly. She looked over at Myrtle again. 

“I love you,” she said quietly to her, then letting me go and standing up, walking into the hall next to us. I watched Michael come from down the opposite hall and stood at the other end. The two stood facing each other, having the ultimate stare down. 

“How did you think this would end?” Michael said to her, holding the knife in his hand. “Prophecy is inevitable. I was always going to win...  _ Miss.  Supreme_.”

“Not on your own,” Cordelia suddenly spoke up. “You've been led by the hand, coddled, the entire way. By your Father, the warlocks. I look at you and I don't see a man. I see a sad, scared little boy so pathetic he couldn't even kill me with a thousand nuclear bombs!” 

Michael paused, looking for a minute like he was going to cry, before speaking again.

“But I never expected to! Like a cockroach, I knew you'd survive the nuclear fallout. I _wanted_ you to. And now, I'm gonna have the satisfaction of watching you die, knowing you failed!”

“You still don't get it, do you?” Cordelia said. “Even now. You think there's only winning and losing, success and failure. But failure is when you've lost any semblance of hope. You will get to watch me die, but you won't find it satisfying.”

The knife suddenly flew from Michael’s hand, landing in Cordelia’s.

“Satan has one son” she said. “But my sisters are legion,  _motherfucker_!”

With that, Cordelia shoved the knife right through her chest.

“Cordelia!” shouted Myrtle, and my breath hitched. I watched Michael, staring at Cordelia, his mouth dropped open in shock. 

Mallory suddenly gasped and her eyes flew wide open in the barrel next to me. The bloody water began to bubble, and she gripped the lock of Michael’s hair that was still in her hand. 

I looked back over at Cordelia, watching her body fall backwards and over the edge of the stairway she was standing by, falling to the floor below.

“No!” Michael shouted, running and looking at her over the stairs. 

I felt Mallory’s hand let go of mine. 

“Barrie. It’s okay,” she said to me. “It’ll all be okay.”

She turned and faced the wall. 

“ _Tempus Infinituum_!”  She said loudly, and slowly slipped into the water before disappearing completely. 

At a loss, I got up and ran over to Michael. He was standing over the stairs and looking down at Cordelia, lying dead on the floor. I looked at him - tears were streaming down his face.

“I can’t fucking believe this!” He said, wiping his eyes. “Too long I’ve spent wanting to get my revenge on her, and I didn’t even get to kill her myself. My purpose for the last few years is gone. I have nothing left!”

He held his head in his hands. 

Not knowing what else to do, I wrapped my arms around his waist.

“You have me,” I said, repeating what he had told me once before.

Michael looked down at me and wrapped his own arms around me, holding me tightly.

Suddenly, his body began to shake and convulse. His mouth opened and he spat up large amounts of blood, and fell to the floor gasping for air.

“Michael!” I shouted at him, holding his head in my arms. I turned and looked at Myrtle, who had come up behind me.

“What’s happening to him?!” I asked her. 

“The time travel spell must have worked,” she said quietly to me. “Mallory must have succeeded in killing Michael.”

“But he can’t die!” I said.

“No, he’s too powerful to die now,” she said. “But, Mallory has gone back to a period in his life where he wasn’t as powerful, and was still capable of being killed for good. He’s dying over there, which means once his body goes here, it won’t be long before all of this erases and the apocalypse will never have happened.”

Sobbing hard, I looked down at Michael and kissed his forehead as he did to me many times before. He reached his hand up and touched my cheek. 

“You gave me a chance,” he said, his voice low and breathless. “I love you, Barrie. I’ll love you forever.”

“I love you, Michael,” I said, and managed to reach down and kiss his lips for the final time before he stopped breathing. His head fell back, and holding his lifeless body in my hands, I buried my head in his chest and continued to sob. 

Myrtle came up and gently brushed her hand along my back. 

“It’s all right, dear,” she said softly. “Everything will be all right.”

“I - I knew he was evil,” I said. “I still loved him though. I loved him so much.”

“As Delia said, it’s not your fault. You can’t help who you fall in love with sometimes.”

I didn’t have a chance to respond, as the entire Outpost began shaking. The walls and ceiling around us began crumbling, debris falling and flying. 

“What’s going on?!” I shouted, still holding Michael’s body.

“This is all erasing,” Myrtle said. “Any moment now, the apocalypse will have been completely undone and none of this will have ever happened. Relax, dear. This will be over soon.”

She reached out and held on to my back and I braced myself, still crying as everything crumbled away and like in Michael’s dreams, everything around us faded to black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I said, technically the story is over, but for the handful of people who are reading this, fret not! A two part epilogue is coming soon!
> 
> Thank you for being along for this wild ride with me. More coming!


	25. Epilogue, part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied. First of a THREE part epilogue!!

** Eighteen Months Ago (Michael’s POV): **

**The First Time He Saw Her **

 

“My name is Langdon and I represent the Cooperative,” Michael addressed the library full of people in Outpost 3. “I won’t sugarcoat the situation. Humanity is on the brink of failure. My arrival here is crucial to the survival of civilized life on Earth.”

He gives them the same impassioned speech he gave at the previously visited North American Outposts, the ones that he sat back and watched at all the death, destruction and chaos that occurred. He went to each of them hoping to find followers, only to have them all end up destroying themselves. 

As he repeated the information regarding his interviews, his eyes scan the room to study each person. There’s the two he knows already - Ms. Venable, the administrator, with her cane and her tightly tied back auburn hair, her dark black outfit. There’s the robotic form of his deceased Ms. Mead, whom he isn’t ready to tell of the plan just yet.

His eyes glance briefly to the black woman in the purple dress, and he realizes it’s the third person he knows here - Dinah Stevens. The former talk show host and Voodoo Queen, who in the days before the apocalypse, made a deal with him and his Father to green light her show for thirteen episodes. He sees her giving him a knowing look out of the corner of her eye, and he hears her thinking - “What is _he_ doing here?”,  in a suspicious tone. Even though he was younger and his hair was much shorter when they made their deal, she still recognizes him regardless.

Michael’s eyes dart to the younger, nicely dressed black man sitting beside her - her son Andre, whom she had requested be taken with her to the Outpost when she was sent her invitation to participate. Her son, Andre, who never knew of his mother’s secret life. 

He glances around the room at the others. The man with the bleached blonde hair. The older woman, that he realizes is the blonde man’s grandmother. The young couple in the corner, chosen for their perfect DNA. The blonde woman who makes snarky comments when Michael says he’s going to question them all to determine who belongs in his supposed Sanctuary. The woman in the corner in a grey uniform with the black rimmed glasses, standing at attention next to the door he walked into the room through. 

He senses all of them. Their fear. Their desires. Their wants and greedy thoughts, all hoping to get into the Sanctuary. He already despises them and their selfishness.

As he speaks and they talk back, his eyes shift over to the immediate left of the young woman with the black glasses and sees another woman, this one a little older looking (though not by much), also dressed in a grey uniform with an apron, with her hair up in the very same ridiculous looking twisted bun that the glasses lady also has her hair styled in. The first thing he notices is that she’s smaller than everyone else there. He thinks she could be a child at first, but her face reveals that she clearly is an adult. For some reason, she is harder to read than the others. Her thoughts are scattered, her thinking in a non-linear fashion, unlike the others. He can sense, however, that she is staring at him. He can hear thinking that she is both afraid of him, but finds him oddly fascinating. 

He doesn’t take his eyes off her. Even when he pulls the vile of suicide pills out and presents it to the room, his eyes are fixated on this woman in the corner. 

“I look forward to meeting each - and  _every_ -  one of you,” he says, drawing out each word slowly as he returns the vile to his inner jacket pocket.

As he makes his way to the back of the room to exit through the door he came in through, he moves in almost slow motion as he continues to stare at the small woman, studying her as much as he can. Their gazes meet. Her eyes are fixed on his. He scans her - her hair is brown. He can see that even in the bun. He looks down at her as he walks past, and notices her eyes as they peer up at him.

He can’t tell if they are green or brown in the dark, candlelit hue of the Outpost. More green, he thinks. They look like emeralds to him. Beautiful, shiny emeralds.

And he is mesmerized by them. 

He scans her again as he leaves. She stands there, staring back at him just as intensely as he was with her. 

There’s something about her. He doesn’t know what it is. He spends the rest of the day doing his interviews and tries to ignore it. He keeps thinking about her - he eventually realizes that he found her to be rather pretty, and is fixated on the fact that he can’t read her as well as the others. He hasn’t seen anyone with a mind like hers before. 

After his interrogation of Ms. Venable, he reaches and thumbs through his stack of files of the Greys, the servants of the compound. He flips through each of them until he finds hers. 

He stares at the photograph attached to her file with a paper clip. Her hair in the picture is slightly above her shoulders. Dark brown, straight but somewhat wavy, with bangs covering her forehead, and slightly curled at the tips. He thinks that it looks nicer in the photograph than in the twisty bun she’s currently sporting. It looks soft.  He starts to wonder what it would feel like to run his fingers through it... and stare into her eyes while doing so...

He closes the file quickly, snapping out of his trance. He doesn’t understand this. He’s found people attractive before, but nobody has ever captivated him like this. 

“Stop!” He says to himself. “No. Don’t let this distract you. You can’t. You have a path laid out for you. My Father has it all planned. Mustn’t distract. You must not”.

He pauses, then opens her file again and looks over at her personal details. 

 

She is 32 years old. She was born in New York, but had been living in Los Angeles at the time of the bombs falling. Her exact height is 4’11, which explains her short stature. Her medical records indicate that like Ms. Venable, she also suffers from scoliosis, albeit a much milder form, as she can walk without assistance of a cane. She does have a bone condition that further causes her short stature, however. Her listed weight is 170 pounds, although she looked much thinner to him in the library, even under the frumpy uniform. In her photo, her cheeks look slightly plumper and her upper frame stockier than she seems to be right now. He assumes her current form was possibly a result of the strict diet of solely vitamin cubes these people have been living on for the last year and a half. She clearly has lost weight. Regardless, in both her photograph, and in the library beforehand, she was still very attractive to him. Despite the differences in the shape of her face, her eyes and her hair are both still the same. 

He had found her height to be adorable; her eyes were beyond gorgeous. He couldn’t stop staring at her eyes in the photo. Her files say their color is hazel, officially. 

“She’s so beautiful,” he whispers to himself. 

He reads over her file, wanting to know everything he can about her. Her medical records indicate that she suffers from a small number of mental disorders, including a report of a hospitalization in a psychiatric facility about three months prior to the bombs falling. Those hospital records list diagnoses of ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as clinical depression. 

Aside from that, her medical history shows no major physical illnesses, injuries, surgeries or anything of the sort. Her school history shows that she was left back a year in high school before graduating. She has an associate’s degree in media studies from a university he’s never heard of, before realizing the school is located on the East Coast. Her California work history shows different service jobs and office work prior to the bombs falling, which could explain why she was chosen to be a Grey here. 

He still wants to know more, as her files are finished and there isn’t much more available than basic information. In truth, aside from the wealthy or famous who bought their way into the outposts, anyone else had gotten in due to some kind of relation to someone else. For this particular outpost in California, he vaguely remembers a pre bombs Cooperative meeting where they compiled a listing of everyone currently working a service or office job in the state and chose about twenty young adults between the ages of 20-40 out of a computerized lottery system. Her being here at all is likely due to luck of being drawn in the system. 

“I suppose”, he thinks again, “That it can’t hurt to meet her. She’s just a human. Likely weak, pitiful and pathetic like the rest of them. Perhaps if I do, I’ll find out she’s just like everyone else and be done with it.”

Rising from his desk, he opens the doors, using his mind, and calls out into the hall -

“Ms. Mead?”

The older woman, the android form of his adoptive mother, approaches. 

“You wanted to see me, sir?” She asks, her hands at her side.

“I know I told you I was done with interviews for the day, but there is one I would like to speak with, if you wouldn’t mind fetching her for me”.

He hands Ms. Mead her folder. 

“This one”, he says. “Barrie Cohen? Send her to my office. Now”.

“Yes, sir”, she replies. “Any particular reason why you’ve chosen this one?” 

Michael smirks to himself. 

“Just picked a folder at random”, he lies. “Send her in”. 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Present Day / May 2020**

**Los Angeles, CA**

 

 

_Incoming text From: Jenna_

_Miss you, lady! Hope you’re living your best life in LA. Don’t go in the Murder House!_

_Me: Miss you too! Send Chris my love. And yeah dude, I walk past it every day going to and from work, but no way I’m going in there._

 

Everyone back in New York always asked me  about the fucking Murder House. 

I got a text, email or message about it almost every day since I moved out here. Jenna and her boyfriend Chris were two of my closest friends, so I forgave them for the curiosity, and they often joked about it with me. But I still sometimes wished I never wrote that Facebook post about it.

At least it gives my friends from home a reason to contact me. Not like I’ve made any friends in LA in the year and a half I’ve lived out here.

The “Murder House” was located a mere four blocks from my apartment. I always walked past the iron gates, and it’s creepy looking facade, but never paid much mind to it. I didn’t even know a whole lot about it, except that it, along with the Hotel Cortez downtown, was sometimes featured on a reality show on Lifetime hosted by a “famous medium to the stars” named Billie Dean Howard. Her show, and a couple of specials about the hotel, had hit Netflix in the past year and suddenly it gained popularity amongst a handful of my friends who never originally watched it. The actual reality was I could give zero shits about this show, or the fucking Murder House, or even the hotel that I had never gone to. 

It was a Tuesday like any other day, but the text I got from Jenna while I was on my lunch break at work must have struck some kind of imaginary nerve in me. Maybe I was tired of being asked about the Murder House. Maybe I was bored. But for some reason or another, that day I decided to specifically walk down that street to pass by it on my way home later.

Lost in thought, I grabbed an iced coffee after work before heading home, and didn’t see the person I had bumped into in the coffee shop. 

“Oh, I’m sorry!” The young woman said to me, and my first thought was that I should be apologizing to her, as the lid on my coffee cup popped open and some of it splashed onto her outfit. 

I looked up to face her. She was short, though not as short as me, and had shoulder length, wavy brown hair. She was pretty, and seemed somewhat mousey, but her brown eyes were warm and inviting.

“No, it’s totally my fault!” I said, adjusting the lid on my cup and looking at the young woman again. On my second glance of her face, something seemed very familiar about her, but I couldn’t place where I knew her from.

“I’m sorry, I know this is weird and I never do this,” I said. “But... do I know you?”

She smiled at me. 

“I don’t think so”, she replied. “Why do you ask?”

I shrugged.

“You just have a familiar looking face I guess,” I said. There was a very strong feeling of deja vu, and I couldn’t place it. 

“I guess I just have one of those faces,” she said back. “Have a nice day!”

She smiled at me and I left the coffee shop, my mind still reeling that I knew her, but I put it out of my head and began the walk towards Murder House.

 

Turning down Pico Boulevard to Westchester Place, the Murder House was a block up. My apartment was four past Westchester up on West 8th Street. Today, I paused in front of the house on Westchester - the famous black iron gates, with old tree branches interwoven through the bars, looked eerie and somewhat ominous as I approached. Standing in front, I looked up at the brick exterior and the run down excuse for a front lawn. A “For Sale” sign was stuck in the dirt on the lawn, that always seemed to change from For Sale to “Sold”, and then back again, even in the year and a half I lived there - I think I counted about three different times that it changed. 

Taking my phone out of my pocket, I opened up the camera app and began snapping as many photos as I could, deciding to appease my friends. 

“Don’t you people  ever get tired of trespassing on other people’s private property?” I heard a woman’s voice say behind me.

I turned and didn’t see anyone at first, until I saw a large, tight bun of blonde hair peeking over the hedge from the house next door on the right side of the Murder House.

“Um, excuse me?” I said, attempting to peer over the hedge that was far too high for me to see who was speaking. 

I backed away from the iron gates slowly and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the person who was standing on the sidewalk. The same blonde bun belonged to an older woman wearing a multi-colored dress, standing there looking angry with a lit cigarette between her fingers. 

“I - I’m sorry,” I said to the woman, taking a step back. “I just, well, I just...”

“You folks are all the same, and so goddamn nosy!” The woman spoke again as she took a drag off her cigarette. “I realize that since Billie Dean’s television program has been airing, the general public can’t get enough of the famed ‘Murder House’ and that it’s supposedly haunted. But some of us who actually live here, it’s really fucking annoying to have all of you snooping around at all hours!”

“Uh, I’m sorry,” I repeated. “But I thought it was unoccupied? There’s a sign out front...” 

“Oh, nobody lives there at the moment,” then woman replied, blowing a small ring of smoke into the air. “But, some of us  do live in the surrounding areas. I live next door, and you, _little missy_ , are currently standing where my property line begins!” 

“Look, I’m sorry, ma’am,” I said, trying to appease the older woman. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I should have been more considerate...”

“Grandma!” I suddenly heard a male voice speaking from behind her. Looking at the front door behind her up their front path, I saw a pair of eyes peeking out from behind the door. 

“I was watching, and she is a few inches away from where our line begins. We do this every time!”

“Oh, hush up!” She shouted as she rolled her eyes and turned to face me. “Ignore my grandson. He thinks I’m being too rigid about this, as always.”

“I don’t think you are,” the male voice spoke again, and I watched the front door open and the figure behind it step outside into the stoop. “I _know_ you are!”

The man in question (this woman’s grandson, apparently), slowly walked down the front path and approached us. Still somewhat anxious from the woman and her obnoxious attitude, I didn’t really get a good look at him until he walked up closer. As soon as he did, he stood next to the woman, and allowing myself to finally see him, I suddenly felt my stomach drop and felt breathless.

To say her grandson was good looking would be a gross understatement. The young man standing in front of me was something else entirely. He was tall, with smooth and flawless skin, sharp cheekbones and an equally impeccable jawline. His hair was on the side of darker brown, slightly longer but a smidge above his neckline, curly with a perfectly styled swoop in front, and in the way it spread across his face made his features look almost angelic, otherworldly even. He was lean and thin, dressed in a casual crewneck black sweatshirt, smooth beige khaki pants, and white sneakers with Velcro straps. On his left hand, I noticed he wore a couple of rings on his fingers - one with a circular red stone, and the other with a black, square jewel adorning his middle.

Gazing up at him, I felt like I couldn’t speak. He was beautiful, in an almost inhuman, ethereal way.

Standing next to the older woman, he looked down at me and shot a smile as he stood with his hands in his pockets. 

“Please, ignore my grandmother,” he said quietly, his voice low. “She’s tired of the Murder House mobs.”

I managed to gain my composure enough to speak.

“Really, it’s fine,” I said, clutching my phone and my other hand fidgeting with the strap on my tote bag that hung from my shoulder. Looking up and facing him, his eyes struck me - they were an absolutely stunning shade of pale blue. Even his mouth looked perfect, his lips full and plump. I was mesmerized in a way I hadn’t been in a long time. 

“I suppose so,” the older woman said, looking at her grandson and taking another drag off her cigarette. “Fine. Take all the photos you want, but just stay the hell away from this line on the sidewalk!”

She huffed and turned around, walking up towards her house, leaving her grandson with me.

The man reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m so sorry about that,” he said, almost shyly. “You’ll have to excuse my grandmother. She’s very, uh... territorial, I guess you could say.”

I giggled. “I can see that,” I said, and nervously returned to attempting to snap more pictures of the house with my phone.

“I hope this doesn’t sound weird or rude,” the man spoke again, and I noticed he was giving me a curious look as I faced him. “But - do I know you? You look really familiar.” 

I took a deep breath, thinking it was strange that the same thing that happened to me earlier with the woman in the coffee shop was happening now on the receiving end. 

“I - I don’t think we do?” I said. “I live in the neighborhood, and I walk past here sometimes, but I don’t know if I’ve met you? I think I would know if I did...”

Clasping my hand over my mouth, my face became hot from embarrassment.

“You would know if you knew me?” He asked, smiling and laughing a bit. His smile was just as beautiful as he was. 

“I - I just mean, uh, I just mean...” I stammered and looked at my feet. “I mean, I haven’t lived here that long, and I don’t know many people, but...”

“How long have you lived here?” He asked. “From where?”

“About eighteen months or so,” I said. “I’m from out East - New York City. Brooklyn to be exact.”

“Wow!” The man exclaimed. “I’ve never been to New York. I bet all this is a real culture shock for you.”

“It’s similar in a lot of ways,” I said honestly. “New York has only had two very minor earthquakes in the last few years and I didn’t even know what they were when they happened.”

The man laughed again.

“Well, I hope you like it here,” he said to me. “Where do you live, exactly?” 

“West 8th and Gramercy,” I said. “That old white apartment complex”.

“Oh, that’s not far at all!” He replied with a pep in his voice. “Maybe we’ll see each other around the neighborhood.”

“Yeah,” I said, looking at my feet again. “Yeah. Sure. Maybe.”

We both stood there in silence for a few minutes, and I noticed him playing with the ends of his hair, until he broke the tension.

“I’m Michael, by the way,” He said, holding out his hand. “Michael Langdon. Welcome to LA.”

I shook his hand, noticing how his large palm covered my small one completely. 

“Barrie Cohen,” I said.

“Barrie?” He asked curiously.

“Yes, I know”, I said. “It’s an odd name. Pronounced like the man’s name ‘Barry’, but spelled with an “ie” at the end.”

“I don’t think it’s odd,” Michael responded, putting his hands in his pockets again. “I - if you don’t mind me saying, I think it’s interesting. Unique. I like it.”

He moved about an inch closer, and gazed down at me. 

“Are - are you sure we haven’t met before?” He asked me again. “I swear, I know you from somewhere...” 

I shrugged. “I honestly don’t think we do,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he responded. “Just something about you feels so familiar. I feel like I would know if I met a woman with a name like yours, and with your eyes.”

“Excuse me?” I asked. “My eyes?”

“Yeah,” He said. “I- I hope this isn’t too forward, but your eyes are really very pretty. I feel like I wouldn’t forget them.”

“Could say the same about yours...” I blurted out, and suddenly shut my mouth as I realized I couldn’t stop sticking my foot into it.

Michael’s face turned a shade of red now, and I’m sure I was also blushing, as I could feel my face turning warm. 

“I should get going home,” I said, backing away and saving myself from putting my foot in my mouth any more than I had. “Long day at work. Tired, you know how it is.” 

Michael paused, and stuck his hands in his pockets again. 

“Yeah, I get it,” he said, almost nervous sounding. “It was nice meeting you, Barrie. M-maybe I’ll see you around the neighborhood?”

“Yeah, I guess you might,” I said. “Maybe. Yeah. Sure.”

We stood there staring at each other for far too long. 

“Well... I gotta leave now. Bye,” I said, sticking my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and adjusting my bag. I started to walk down the sidewalk away from the Murder House and Michael, and curiosity getting the best of me, I turned and looked back when I got to the crosswalk.

Michael was still looking and gave me a small wave and a smile. 

 

Reaching my building, I went to my mailbox to grab mail and felt a hand tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I was surprised to see her - the same woman from the coffee shop earlier.

“Oh, hi!” I said, looking to be friendly. “Funny seeing you again.”

“Not by accident,” she said, approaching me slowly. “Definitely not, Barrie.”

I looked at her curiously.

“You know my name?” I asked. “I’m sorry, but - who are you? Are you _sure_ we don’t know each other?”

She sighed and walked up further, taking my hand. 

“I technically shouldn’t be doing this,” she said. “But my guilty conscious can’t take it anymore. Remember - remember everything...”

She made a wave of her hand and I blinked, my vision becoming a bit cloudy. Reaching up to rub my eyes, when I removed my hands, the woman in front of me came clearer into my field of vision. 

The second I saw her, I remembered. 

“M-Mallory?!” I asked, and could feel my eyes welling up. Slowly, very slowly, my memories - the bombs. The people in black from the Cooperative. The Outpost. My uniform. Mr. Gallant. Coco. Evie. Timothy. Emily. Dinah. Andre. Naomi. Scott. Ms. Venable. Ms. Mead. The Fist. Even Stu. All the other Greys. The witches - Cordelia, Myrtle, and Madison. Marie Laveau. 

Everything came flooding back to me in an instant.

“Mallory...” I repeated, and suddenly remembered. “You... you’re alive!”

“I am,” she said to me, as she threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. “It’s so good to see you again!” 

Holding back my tears as I remembered the last time I had seen her, I became overwhelmed thinking of when I had last seen Mallory - stabbed in the chest with blood spouting out of her mouth, of her dying from Brock’s knife and disappearing into the barrel of water, and her dying of the first time of poisoned apples...

Then, I remembered.

 

_Michael_ . 

 

“M-Michael!” I said to her, as I pulled away. “Oh my god, Michael... I watched him die, but-But I just...”

“I came to tell you he was alive,” she said to me. “But, I see you know that already. Let’s go inside. We have to talk and I have to catch you up.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, and gestured for Mallory to follow me up the stairs to my apartment. 

“A lot has happened,” Mallory said to me. “First thing - there’s a new threat my Coven has to face. The Antichrist-“

“What did Michael do now?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

“No,” she said. “Not Michael. Devan.”

Now I was confused.

“Devan?” I asked. “Who’s Devan? You just said the Antichrist...”

“Yes, I know,” Mallory said, squeezing my hand. “This is going to be confusing, so try and bear with me. We are in a different timeline, and Michael is not only alive... he isn’t the Antichrist anymore.”


	26. Epilogue, part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the epilogue. Things are explained. And then things get interesting.

** Michael’s POV **

 

_His back is flat on the pillows; he can feel the cotton sheets against his body. His breathing is heavy, his hips thrusting, and his hands are moving across every inch of her bare, sweaty skin. Michael feels utterly lost in the moment - his palms are caressing her soft, curvy hips as she pushes them against his. His eyes are fixated on her breasts as they are bouncing above him, and he loses his concentration as he feels the friction of her wet warmth consuming his cock._

_His hair is long - he knows this because he feels one of her hands grabbing on to the ends for support as she rides him; her other hand, palm down on his chest._

_“I love you,” He whispers to her. “I love you, so much... don’t stop...”_

_“I love you, Michael...” she whispers to him, her head tilting back and her mouth opening. Her moaning becomes louder and echoes throughout the dim, candlelit bedroom, the only other light source being the small fireplace in the corner. He spots a large, auburn colored dresser out of the corner of his eye, on the right side near the door. There is a black desk on the opposite side, adorned with folders and a silver laptop computer._

_The surroundings feel familiar to him, but his concentration comes back to the small woman on top of him. He reaches his head up to leave harsh kisses on her neck and throat, wrapping his arms tight around her back. He recognizes the feeling of her hot skin, her nipples hard against his chest. His hands find themselves in her hair, one of them lowering to her face. His index finger works its way into her mouth, allowing her to suck gently on it before it leaves her lips and descends slowly down her sternum. His palm opens and his fingers wrap themselves around one of her breasts. He squeezes, which pushes her to a point at the edge where he feels her walls spasming, her breathing heavier, leaving her almost gasping for air._

_That’s enough for him - it’s his turn now, and she rolls off his torso in time for him to feel himself cumming onto his legs and the sheets under him. With a wave of his hand, the sticky remnants disappear, and he reaches out to pull her close into his body.  
_

_Feeling her warm skin against his own, she turns and looks at him, and he sees her eyes... the shade of bright hazel that he recognizes and loves._

 

... Michael woke  with a jolt, sitting straight up in his bed. The sun wasn’t even up yet, seeing the darkness through the windows. His body was drenched in sweat; his skin was clammy. Looking down at his boxer shorts, he couldn’t help but notice the bulge that had formed in the crotch.

 

Had he really just dreamed of her?

 

They spoke for all of ten minutes at most that afternoon. She was very pretty to him - her height was adorable, and her eyes were beautiful. He genuinely had complimented her, not intending to flirt (not fully, at least). Michael hadn’t dated anyone in a while, and was equally interested in both women and men - his most recent relationship had ended six months earlier with a young man. He had a semi-serious girlfriend a couple of years before that, but never actively looked to date and just preferred to go with the flow. He was more attracted to a person rather than a specific gender, and didn’t really have a type. This woman Barrie, he supposed that perhaps she wasn’t conventionally attractive, but there was something about her he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Whether or not she was attractive by society’s standards didn’t matter to him, and it never did. 

But, now he was having a sexual dream about her?

He laid there thinking it didn’t make any sense, and he was confused as to why his hair was longer in the dream, why the surroundings in which it took place didn’t make sense to him. It looked like a bedroom, but wasn’t his room at his grandmother Constance’s house.

Michael ran his fingers through his hair and his chest rose in a deep breath, trying to fall back to sleep, but his erection was making it impossible. He found himself instinctively sticking his hand in his boxer shorts and beginning to stroke himself, thinking at the very least it would help him relax and fall asleep. He closed his eyes tightly as he gripped his hard length in his palm, and tried to keep his mind blank, but immediately the same image from his dream slipped back into his mind as he imagined her riding him, thinking what it would be like to feel her skin against his for real. Thinking of kissing her, thinking of touching her everywhere...

He finished not long after, and Michael went to the bathroom to clean himself up and change into a new pair of boxer shorts before lying back on his bed. His eyelids slowly fluttered shut, the relaxation taking over... 

 

... once again he dreams of her.

 

His hair is long still in this dream. She’s fully clothed this time, in a green and grey frumpy dress with an apron in the front. Her brown hair is pulled on top of her head in a strange twisted bun, but she still is beautiful in his mind, despite the ridiculous hairstyle. She’s situated comfortably on his lap as he sits at the desk from the previous dream, running his hand down her back. His other hand reaches up to her head and he removes the ties holding her hair up, letting it fall down, allowing himself to weave his fingers through it. He leans his head into her shoulder, leaving gentle love bites on her neck and soft kisses on her jaw and cheeks, and finally her lips. Her hand is now running through his own hair, and he realizes that it goes just past his shoulders. 

She’s speaking, and he can’t fully understand what she’s saying, but it’s something about his hair. He smiles and reaches around her for a small plate, which he picks up and pierces a fork through what looks like a yellow cube of something. It doesn’t look even remotely appetizing to him, but he nonetheless feeds the block to her, taking notice at how she rolls her eyes at him when he does it.

She swallows and reaches around for another small plate, taking the same odd looking yellow cube and feeding it to Michael as well. In his dream state, he can’t taste it. He can, however, oddly feel the taste of her skin on his lips as he pulls her face down to him for a kiss. Everything in this dream feels serene, peaceful and strangely comfortable to him. She fits perfectly on his lap, and they sit like that for some time, kissing occasionally but mostly just staring into each other’s eyes.

The last thing he remembers before waking again is picking her up off his lap and carrying her to the bed behind them, laying her down on it gently.

 

Michael jogged every day, at least once. He owned a pair of black and white Balenciaga cross trainers that he loved, and used them either to jog in or just casually wear around. He had different routes and streets he liked to explore, different spots and regions around his neighborhood and occasionally other spots in LA when he was feeling adventurous. The morning after his dreams began, he put on his sneakers, a sleeveless white T-shirt and Adidas jogging shorts and went for a run, getting lost in the music of his ear buds as he listened to his Spotify playlists on his phone.

He didn’t even realize until he made his way back towards his house a half an hour later, that he had unintentionally passed by the old white apartment building on West 8th Street. Once he did, he remembered that’s where Barrie said she lived.

Michael stopped, standing across the street just staring at the building. He was partially hoping he would see her, but also partially not, as his dreams made him feel somewhat embarrassed. If he saw her, he thought that he probably wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face. He stretched his legs, and then jogged back home.

His grandmother was currently dating a man younger than her, whom Michael was often embarrassed by, as the man wasn’t much older than him. He was far from her first younger boyfriend - he had heard her stories about a man named Travis she used to date before he was born - but it still was rather annoying to him to hear them on the nights he stayed in Constance’s room.

Michael’s upbringing was a funny one, as he was aware that he had aged mysteriously on two different occasions. Mysterious to Constance, at least. Michael had originally been born with these strange impulses and urges to kill, to destroy. Crows used to circle the skies above the house; his body temperature, for many years, was unnaturally more hot than the average person.

By the time he matured on an emotional and mental level, his body was that of a man roughly around the age of 25 or so. He had a very vague recollection of a mysterious, brown haired young woman with what looked like a flower crown on her head, coming to him one day and performing what she called a kind of spiritual exorcism. She came to him a few times and then disappeared, as did Michael’s urges and impulses. This had been four years earlier - he was currently 30 years old (or so his driver’s license said). He had gone to college and majored in finance, and was currently in graduate school, looking for something more stable than part time and temporary work and hoping that once he graduated, to finally move out of his grandmother’s house and live on his own.

After a long day of going to some of his classes in the afternoon, Michael came home to help his grandmother prepare dinner. Her young boyfriend is there again, and they spend most of the meal making awkward small talk. Michael got a text from one of his friends from class who invited him out for a few drinks, but he declined, choosing to stay in and do some homework. The evening was spent doing just that, in between scouring the job posting websites for more temporary or part time work.

Laying on his bed with his computer on his lap, Michael began to fall asleep. As his eyes fluttered open and closed, he saw her face next to his. He could feel her skin flush against his own.

He dreamed of her again that night.

 

This happened for the next two nights in a row. 

 

The surroundings in each dream were familiar to him, yet he couldn’t place where it was. They were almost always in dimly lit rooms. The dreams were sometimes vividly sexual in nature, like that first one... he was fucking her in the shower, from behind, and he could feel the water spraying down on them from above. He had the sensation of falling when she yanked the long strands of his hair, and could feel her hand when she reached down to help him stand up from the wet, tiled shower floor. In another instance, they were fucking on top of a hard surface that he recognizes as the desk in the corner of the room. 

They weren’t always so erotic, or sexual. He also dreamt of working at his computer on his bed like he did already at home, with her curled up against him and holding onto his arm, just watching him. He dreamt of them laying in bed, with her legs in his lap as he massaged her foot. He dreamt of them walking hand in hand in a wooded area and stopping to watch the sun set. Sitting in two leather armchairs playing a card game. Him watching her sleep as she laid next to him in that same bed. Of her reading a book next to him in bed while he typed away as his computer.

He dreamt of them kissing. Of his hands helping her tie her hair up into the ridiculous bun thing, and running his fingers through it. Of removing her clothing. Of them talking for hours (or on occasion, fucking for hours). Of him helping her zip up (or take off) her dress. He dreamt of her legs open, her soaking wetness above his head as he gripped onto her thighs and tried to keep up with how fast and hard she was cumming into his mouth. 

 

Dreams that seemed so real, and so far away.

 

That Friday morning, Michael woke up to the sound of his computer beeping. He checked his inbox, seeing an email from one of his professors that his one and only Friday class was canceled for the day. Leaving him with a full free day, he hopped in the shower and changed into a plain black cotton T-shirt, his grey jogging shorts and his Balenciaga sneakers. Saying  goodbye to his grandmother, he went for amid-morning jog around 10:30am. 

Roughly an hour later, he jogged past her apartment building and stopped dead in his tracks on the corner across the street. He rubbed his eyes, almost not believing it - the small, brown-haired woman approaching the building. 

_It was her._

He watched her intensely as she stopped in front of her outside mailbox unit. His breath hitched. He didn’t know whether to say something to her or not. He was almost embarrassed, considering the dreams he’d been having all week about her. But something inside told him... 

“I don’t suppose there’s any harm in saying hello,” he said to himself as he found his feet moving. Crossing the street and turning, he took another deep breath as he approached her, watching her sort through her mail.

“Um... excuse me, Barrie?” He said finally.

She turned and looked at him, and let out a gasp of her own.

“M-Michael?” She said quietly. 

They stood there staring at each other. Michael shoved his hands in his pockets and bit his lower lip. She looked at the ground and twiddled her thumbs together.

Neither of them spoke. 

 

 

* * *

 

**Four Days Earlier**

 

Mallory sat down on the black couch in my living room, and I went to my bedroom to change out of my work clothes. After coming back inside, I walked into the kitchen and took two glasses out of the cabinet, opened the refrigerator and filled them both with water from my Brita, before bringing them over and handing one to her. 

“So, first off,” I said, taking a sip from my glass. “Explain to me - who the fuck is Devan?”

Mallory blinked. “Remember Timothy and Emily from the Outpost?”

“Of course,” I said. 

“Their son. Devan Campbell.”

I paused.

“Wait. They have a kid? When did that happen?”

“Technically, he hasn’t been born yet,” Mallory replied, sipping from her glass. “Even my time reversal and killing Michael didn’t stop them from meeting. They met at college. Fell in love, like they did at the Outpost. Got married, and had a son. Devan.” 

“Huh. No shit,” I said, taking another sip. “Good for them. I felt bad they had that whole forbidden romance thing going on in the Outpost, so I’m glad a time exists now that they get to be together and be happy.”

Mallory looked at me seriously. 

“Well, everything would be fine,” she said quietly. “Except for the fact that when Devan turns two, he’s going to be the Antichrist.”

“You mentioned that before,” I said. “Explain that to me. I thought Michael was the Antichrist? There’s more than one? Cordelia gave that speech about Satan having one son...”

“According to the Bible, he’s supposed to only have one, yes,” Mallory replied. She paused, and sighed before speaking again. 

“Nothing ever truly dies,” she said finally. “We are all made of energy, and energy can neither be created nor destroyed.  It can only be transferred from one form to another. The trick is to be able to go back and pick the right moment in time and let it play out from there. We did that with Michael, and learned the hard way about the energy transfer. I’m not entirely sure how, or why, but Satan chose to host another Antichrist after Michael. And he chose Timothy and Emily’s son. I’m also not sure why...”

“They were supposedly chosen for their perfect DNA,” I said. “Michael even confirmed that with me.”

“The battle between good and evil never ends,” she continued. “The Devil isn’t just going to give up. From what we’ve learned, Devan is far more powerful than Michael ever was. Or he will be, when he’s born two or three years from now.”

“So how did Michael... I mean, was he born normally?” I asked curiously.

Mallory scooted over to the other side of the couch. “That’s a little more complicated,” she said. “When I realized that killing him didn’t stop the Antichrist from being born in another body, I realized that ultimately it didn’t matter that we did that the first time. In changing the past, a part of me always wonders what it truly means for the future. I did something that felt powerful for me the first time, but knowing that it didn’t do anything in the long run, I’m not proud of it. And I’ve felt guilty every day since about how you got caught up in that whole mess. My sisters don’t truly understand it - I mean, I think Cordelia might have a little...”

“Myrtle did too,” I said, cutting her off. “The last thing I remember before everything changed, was Michael’s adult body dying in front of me. Myrtle was there to comfort me through it. She told me that you can’t always help who you fall in love with.”

“She’s right. You can’t,” Mallory stated. “I know you loved him. And despite what he was, I could see it in him that he truly did love you too. He had the tiniest bit of humanity in him that was unfortunately clouded by his thirst for revenge and power. You brought out some of that in him.”

I could feel my eyes welling up. 

“He - he could have easily killed me,  too,” I spoke softly. “I even told him to. But - he didn’t. He let me go. I was so afraid that he would just do it, since I thought I betrayed him.” 

“Somehow, I knew deep down that he wouldn’t,” Mallory said in response. “The fact that he didn’t, even after you left his side and ran to me? That spoke volumes. He was hell bent on revenge, but he loved you enough to not consider you part of that. He forgave you. Barrie, you may not truly believe it, but Michael loved you. This could just be me speaking as an outsider, but that proved it to me. And I have felt so much guilt over it. You’ve dealt with so much shit in your life...”

That did it. I began to sob, and put my head down in my hands. 

“Michael understood me,” I said, my voice quivering. “He helped me be calm. He help me - he helped me face some of my traumas. He made me realize I’m worthy and deserving to be loved. I shut that part out of me for so long. I didn’t think it was true.”

“It _is_   true!” Mallory exclaimed, reaching forward and putting her hand on my back. “He saw something in you. He saw everything that I saw in you as my friend. What he did for you is beyond anything I could have imagined. That’s why... that’s why when I learned about Devan, I came back to a time and...”

I perked my head up suddenly. “What did you do?”

“This is going to sound convoluted,” Mallory replied. “I guess you could say I got blazing street cred with the demons of the underworld for killing the son of Satan that first time. You know how it is. Everyone hates their boss, even in Hell.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Mallory’s statement. 

“So, because of that, some of those demons, and the help of a deceased witchfrom my coven named Nan, we brought Michael’s soul back. And they showed me a kind of, I’m not sure, a kind of - some kind of demonic Antichrist exorcism. I had to go back a couple of times but I finally did it. He has a vague memory of it, but I wiped the rest out.” She took another breath, and continued. “I had to do some age and maturity bending to get him to where he is now, physically and emotionally though.”

“Huh?” I asked.

Mallory suddenly got quiet. “Oh. Don’t ask.” She finally said. “But yes. That’s the gist of it. We brought Michael back from Hell and extracted anything evil from him. Satan didn’t care anymore for him at that point because of Devan. He was basically expendable. As of right now, Michael is a fully human man. He has no magical abilities that I’m aware of. He’s lived a decent life from what I’ve seen. And truthfully - you deserve to have him in yours again. Now that he’s human.”

It was my turn to take a deep breath. 

“Were you responsible for us meeting today?” I asked curiously. 

She simply grinned. “Playing around with people’s fates isn’t something I work with lightly. Again, my meeting you in the coffee shop today? That was entirely your decision as to what to do after that. You chose to go to the house. You did that on your own free will. Michael’s grandmother happened to be watching you from her front yard, and he decided on his own free will to go outside and say something to her, and ultimately you.”

“He - he seemed like he vaguely remembered me,” I said.

“I’m not surprised. The time travel stuff usually gives people a severe sense of deja vu,” Mallory said. “That’s what you felt when you saw me, before I gave you your memories back. Cordelia felt it with me when I met her again after I changed the past the first time. That likely played somewhat of a role in his free will, but I can’t be too sure. Either way, you now know he’s alive, and he knows you exist. Just a matter of everything else falling into place. What happens now, is up to you.”

Not knowing how to respond, I sat there and looked at my feet. I took another sip of water before deciding to speak again. 

“I think,” I said, trying to hide the fact that I was ready to cry. “I - I think I’m gonna just leave him alone.”

Mallory’s mouth dropped open.

“What? Why?”

“Mallory, _look_ at me!” I said. “I lost so much weight in the Outpost because we sustained on those goddamn cubes for a year and a half! Now, I’m back to being a chubby loser with the same traumas and problems and trust issues. There is no way that Michael in this timeline, or whatever it is, would be interested in me. The first time was a fluke, I’m sure. But now?”

I couldn’t stop my tears from falling, causing Mallory to reach forward and hug me. 

“Oh, Barrie,” she said. “You’re beautiful. You are. Your traumas shouldn’t define you. You can own them. You can conquer them. Have confidence in yourself. You always told me that Michael saw that in you, even if it was under the surface. I agree with him on that. And again, I can only speak from an outsider’s perspective, but I saw how he looked at you in the Outpost. Barrie - he genuinely loved you. I could see that even with my eyes closed. He cared about you. It wasn’t about sex, or looks - he loved  _you_.”

“I wish I was more certain of this than you are,” I said, hugging her tighter. 

Mallory didn’t say anything after that. Instead, she let go of me and we sat there in silence for quite some time. 

When I finished my water, she stood up.

“I should really get going,” she said.

“Where are you going?” I asked. “Will I see you again?”

“I’m going to hopefully work on this other Antichrist,” she said. “But physically speaking, I’m going back to New Orleans to the academy to be with my sisters. I won’t be able to tell them any of this, but we can certainly keep in touch.”

Mallory took my phone from off of the coffee table, and spent about a minute typing something on it before handing it back to me. I looked to see the contacts page was opened and she had given me a couple of phone numbers, an email address and a New Orleans street address. 

“My personal number,” she said, pointing to one. “That other one is the academy landline, in the random event you can’t get ahold of me any other way. Plus my email and the school’s address. Get in touch with me whenever you want or need me, day or night. I would love for you to come visit sometime if you can swing it.” 

“I would love to,” I said genuinely. “I’ve never been to New Orleans and always wanted to go.”

“I’ll speak with Cordelia and see if we can even give you a spare room at the school to stay in,” Mallory said.

We both stood up, and she hugged me again. 

“Text me so I know its you, and I’ll be in touch soon,” she said to me as she pulled away. “Let me know if you and Michael see each other.” 

I shrugged. “I told you. I’m not going to to him. I’m going to let him live his own life. Even if mine hurts now that I remember him.”

Mallory grinned at me. “We’ll see about that.” 

I didn’t even have a chance to respond, because before I could even blink, Mallory was gone. 

 

* * *

 

 

**Three Days Later**

 

My daily grind was boring.

I was currently working as a front desk receptionist at a therapy and counseling clinic, most of my day spent on the phone, filling out appointment cards and staring at a computer screen. It was a standard 9-5, and I had only been at work for an hour and a half when my stomach began to feel queasy. I had a strange feeling that I couldn’t shake. Goosebumps covered my arms and I couldn’t stop sweating, my breathing heavy and erratic, my chest feeling like a heavy boulder was crushing it. A sure sign of a panic attack. 

Excusing myself to the bathroom, I washed my face and tried to breathe. I wasn’t sure what brought it on so suddenly. I felt dizzy and knew I had to get out of there. 

Thankfully, I looked into my phone and realized I had some sick days I hadn’t used. Worried at the reaction, I spoke to my supervisor and a couple of my co-workers after I had calmed down somewhat, and was surprised when my supervisor told me to just go home for the rest of the day.

Something about the situation seemed a little _too_ easy, but I didn’t question it as I gathered up my things in my tote bag, and left to start my walk home.

Still feeling a little on edge, I stopped for a coffee. Caffeine had an adverse effect on me, relaxing me more than making me feel jittery. Taking the cup, I pulled my phone out and saw it wasn’t even noon yet. Great, I can spend the day in my pajamas and binge something on Netflix. And then I have the whole weekend.

Approaching my apartment building, I sipped my coffee slowly and took my mailbox key out to check. The mailman usually came in the mornings, unlike my early evening guy back in New York that always confused the fuck out of me. 

I turned the key and opened the small metal door, sifting through each of the envelopes as I pulled them out.

“Um... excuse me, Barrie?” 

I suddenly heard a male voice behind me. A voice that sounded all too familiar.

 

_Oh, shit..._

 

I turned around slowly. A gasp left my lips as I stared at the person in front of me.

There he was.

“M-Michael?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again! Please feel free to leave *constructive* criticism! This is my first time writing a story in a long time so please be patient with me.


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